Technology Record - Issue 22: Autumn 2021

47 cloud approach to speed their time to market and ability to create repeatable solutions. In October 2020, Satya Nadella spoke at some length about the need to support inclusive economic opportunity whilst also committing to a sustainable future. In your opinion, where have those journeys taken Microsoft? As Nadella mentioned, we have a responsibility to ensure the technology we build benefits everyone on the planet, and over the past year we’ve made strides to continue pushing this forward. We have ambitious sustainability goals and are working closely with our customers and partners to drive change using technology such as Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power BI, Power Platform, data and AI. Of note, we announced Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability at Inspire this year, a new cloud offering that enables organisations to record, report and reduce their emissions on a path to net zero. You may have also seen some of our incredi- ble partner solutions that we’ve highlighted as part of our #BuildFor2030 initiative in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We’ve showcased close to 200 solutions in our marketplace from partners leading the way, driving greater gender equality, accessibility, sustainability and empowering non-profits and communities. And we’re working on extending this effort with an upcoming #BuildFor2030 Hackathon to drive more awareness with our ecosystem and solution development for greater social and environmental impact. Zeroing in on empowering communities spe- cifically, we’ve launched the Microsoft Black and African American Partner Growth Initiative, which is designed to support Black and African American technology firms and entrepreneurs, as well as other programmes that support small businesses, which many of our partners fall into. These are just a few examples of the extensive work going on behind the scenes. From our per- spective at Microsoft, purpose builds trust and unlocks new opportunities for growth. I know we’ll be doubling down in the coming year to ensure we’re creating lasting impact. Your LinkedIn profile describes you as an ‘avid cyclist, music nut and hockey coach’. How much time are you getting to spend out on your bike or on the ice right now, and what are your top tips for balancing work and home at a time when boundaries traditionally separating the two have become somewhat less well-defined? I get as much time on my bike as possible! I like to ride in the morning before I start my working day as a way to clear my head and get my energy going. I make sure to take time off during the year to recharge. In fact, I’m just coming off a few weeks of vacation where I spent time with my family and logged lots of hours on my bike. As I mentioned earlier, the channel chief role has been in my sights for several years, so I’m thrilled to be in it and excited about the oppor- tunity to drive growth with our partners. That too gives me lots of energy. “We have ambitious sustainability goals and are working closely with our customers and partners to drive change using technology” Rice farmers in Indonesia gained access to climate- resilient water and sanitation in their homes through Microsoft’s partnership with Water.org Photo: Water.org