Driving Clean Air Innovation: Vodafone at Sustainability Week and the GDSA Summit
This month marked an exciting milestone for Vodafone and the Breathe London consortium as we showcased our air quality innovation on two major global stages: The Economist’s Sustainability Week, and The Global Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA) Summit, both events having taken place in London on March 2nd, and February 23rd respectively.
Showcasing Breathe London at Sustainability Week
At Sustainability Week—one of the leading global forums exploring the nexus of business, climate action and technology—we were proud to present our new Breathe London video case study, developed in partnership with the London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban MBE, who highlighted how hyperlocal air quality insights support fairer, greener cities, and how Vodafone can help scale low-cost air quality monitoring networks, and with Jason Dawson, Chief Infrastructure and Redevelopment officer at Great Ormond Street Hospital, who emphasised how Breathe London data is shining a light on children’s exposure to unsafe levels of air pollution and what GOSH is doing to address the issue.
The case study brings to life the impact of London’s growing air quality sensor network, which empowers hospitals, schools and boroughs to better understand pollution patterns and shape targeted local action. It also reflects the close collaboration across the Breathe London consortium and partners such as Great Ormond Street Hospital, helping connect environmental data with real-world health and community outcomes.
Our presence at Sustainability Week also aligns with Vodafone’s broader sustainability ambition and our ongoing collaboration with media partners such as The Economist to amplify evidence-based solutions to environmental challenges. The event provided a powerful platform to demonstrate how cities can leverage digital infrastructure for cleaner air and healthier communities.
Spotlighting Digital Sustainability at the GDSA Summit
Alongside Sustainability Week, Vodafone also contributed to Defra’s Government Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA) Summit, where global leaders explored how digital technologies can accelerate environmental progress. Here, we highlighted Breathe London as a model for scalable, multistakeholder environmental innovation—showing how telecoms networks, advanced sensors and data platforms can form the backbone of future urban sustainability systems.
Our discussions at the GDSA Summit reinforced the growing international recognition of Breathe London as a leading example of public–private partnership for environmental impact. The programme continues to inspire interest from other global cities seeking practical pathways to build and operationalise air quality networks at scale.
A Momentum-Building Moment for the Consortium
Our participation at Sustainability Week and the GDSA Summit marks a moment of real momentum for the Breathe London programme. With the new video, enhanced communications resources, and strengthened relationships across the public sector, academia and community organisations, we are continuing to build a collaborative model that helps cities tackle air pollution with precision, transparency and inclusivity.
We look forward to continuing this journey—bringing more partners on board, expanding the network’s reach, and ensuring London remains a global leader in clean air innovation.
