EDISON Alliance Impact Report 2024

Participating in the digital economy is critical to giving people more of an equal opportunity. People must see and feel that they have a place. But despite positive progress across several areas, we remain in a world of digital haves and digital have nots. The biggest hurdle to bridging the divide is access, and more fundamentally is digital identity. Even today there are 850 million people that don’t have a digital identity. From there, it is imperative that the public and private sectors work together to deliver technology and tools that enable greater digital inclusion. The technology has to be relevant. It has to be inclusive. It also has to work wherever and however people need it. Alongside this, trust is essential. This requires consistent governance, robust cybersecurity, and strong consumer protections. It comes by making a promise and delivering on it again and again.The EDISON Alliance provides a platform to bring together the public and private sectors to tackle these foundational elements – access, technology and trust – through collective action. Together, we can build a better model for inclusive digital transformation. If we do, we will empower more people and ensure equitable and sustainable economic growth across the globe. Ling Hai President, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Mastercard EDISON Alliance Impact Report January 2024 15 Contents