Live Version L&G Longform Investing for a better future

Advertisment feature for

hen we decided to work with Telegraph Spark and a galaxy of innovative thinkers a year ago, we didn’t know 2020 would be the year of Covid-19. While the pandemic has dominated everyone’s lives and thoughts, it hasn’t made the issues we wanted to tackle go away – quite the opposite. The digital revolution has accelerated as we all got dramatically better at using digital communication while in lockdown and working remotely. The need to address climate change acquired a new urgency as we saw how powerless we are when nature fights back on a global scale. And the vulnerability of ageing populations across the developed world was shown in stark relief as the virus rampaged through care homes. With the health crisis comes the economic crisis – and the challenge of recovery. Not since the 1940s have we needed great ideas and business leadership as much as we do today. Business can work in constructive partnership with government to invest for a better future. We know this can work, but we need capitalism to be effective and inclusive – to work for everybody, across the country and the generations. At Legal & General we are optimists. We know the UK has great ideas, amazing science and technology, deep thinkers and committed campaigners and we have given some of them a platform here. We hope that encourages more people and businesses to join up to inclusive capitalism, so we can really Build Back Better.

Matthew Brant Jimmy Turrell Tom Warner Rachael Adams Vanessa Woodgate Pedro Hernandez Nicola Duffy Getty Louise Haywood-Schiefer Shutterstock

Advertisement feature for

Share this article

Link #3

Link #2

Link #1

Telegraph Media Group Limited 2020

About us

Rewards

Archive

Reader prints

Branded content

Syndication

Guidelines

Privacy

T&Cs

Advertising terms

Fantasy sport

Voucher Codes US

Voucher Codes UK

Modern Slavery

Brought to you by

The ethos behind the Power of Us campaign – inclusive capitalism – has never been as relevant as it is in 2020, says Legal & General chief executive Nigel Wilson

We need a societal change, for ageism to be in the same level of toxicity as sexism and racism: championing the real story of ageing and all the benefits that come with it.

In under 20 years, one in four of us will be over the age of 65, but instead of viewing this as a burden we must view these longer lives as a precious gift to be celebrated

As we are living longer, some of us are working longer. However, many older people drop out of work early. Before the pandemic, according to the ONS, there were over 800,000 people aged 50-64 in the UK who were not working but wanted to be. Older people have been hardest-hit in the wake of Covid-19, and older workers who lose their jobs are far more likely to slip into long-term worklessness. We therefore need to ensure there is support in place for older people in the job market, and that age isn’t a barrier to recruitment. The pandemic has shown the benefits of flexible working – businesses must use this as an opportunity to retain and attract older workers with more flexible employment opportunities. The coronavirus pandemic has brought into sharp relief many of the issues around later life which have been ignored for too long – not least our society’s attitudes to ageing and later life. As a society, we are not prepared for the fact that our population is ageing: in under 20 years, one in four of us will be over the age of 65. We need radical change now to ensure that everyone can enjoy later life: more accessible housing, age-friendly employment, support to stay healthier for longer, and communities that help people connect to one another.

Window of opportunity: the older generation, like any other, need a sense of purpose

What can we do to make later life as fulfilling as possible for all of us? Host Rachel Riley invites a panel of experts to discuss this topic and more on the Power of Us podcast. Listen now »

How can we best support our ageing population – mentally and emotionally, as well as physically?

As we get older many of our needs change. We may need to rely on public transport, receive more health or social care, or undertake home adaptations to remain independent and active. But what we want out of life doesn’t change – we want financial security, good health, to maintain social connections and, above all, a sense of purpose. In later life, as in any stage, our circumstances vary depending on our health, social background, geographical location and financial circumstances. There are huge inequalities, with 1.9 million (16pc) of pensioners in the UK living in poverty. Covid-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities and providing even more of an imperative for us to act now, to improve later life for everyone.

Despite profound changes to the age structure of our society, ageism is still rife. In the UK, research has found that one in three people have experienced some kind of age prejudice. The Centre for Ageing Better’s recent report, Doddery but dear, found that in the media older people are represented as a burden, and old age is presented in terms of crisis. We see this in other sectors as well, with government policy focused on solving the ‘problem’ of the ageing population. Not only does ageist language have a damaging effect on how we view others, it also negatively affects how we feel about our own capabilities as the years tick by. It’s vital we stop using negative language and stereotypes, and reframe ageing and our longer lives as an opportunity.

The coronavirus has forced change that would have been unimaginable last year. View it as a dry run for tomorrow’s climate emergency, says John Elkington, founder of Volans, and co-founder of Environmental Data Services

For 40 years I have worked with business at the top level. At the beginning, raising CEOs’ awareness of sustainability was a slog, but every so often we would see a massive spike in public concern about safety, health or environment, spurring UK Plc into action. I believe we are now riding the peak of a fifth wave. Capitalism, democracy and, yes, sustainability, are all increasingly subject to challenge and disruption.

This is a good thing. But we are herd animals, prone to stampeding when spooked, and spooked we will be. Expect a “Great Carbon Panic” by the end of the decade, as we wake up to the fact that the products we buy, the businesses we work for and invest in and the politicians we vote for are all leading us into a climatic dead end. The inevitable result? It will be double-sided: a boom in leading businesses taking us towards net zero carbon emissions, and spectacular busts in laggard, carbon-intensive industries. The evidence is all around us. Oil giant ExxonMobil, once the world’s most valuable company, has seen its value slump by over two-thirds, and it has now been overtaken by a renewable energy company, NextEra Energy. Meanwhile, Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden has been publicly fretting that his company could end up “on the wrong side of history.” BP, too, is moving away from fossil fuels. We live, it is said, in a “gradually, then suddenly” world. A world where things that seemed impossible become possible and then even inevitable, seemingly overnight. Covid-19 is simply the most dramatic example of this trend, forcing change that would have been unimaginable last year. View it as a dry run for tomorrow’s climate emergency. Such seismic disruption is necessary – indeed, overdue. Our macroeconomic and geopolitical system is no longer fit for purpose. And it’s an unfortunate fact that the longer you leave inevitable change, the faster and harder it comes.

Business leaders may protest that system change is beyond their pay grade, but the more switched-on among them see the need for a new generation of government policies and incentives. They argue that it’s time to “reimagine”, “reinvent” and “regenerate” capitalism, democracy and – in a small but growing number of cases – sustainability. The 2020s, our “Exponential Decade”, is likely to see more change than the last 20 years. I enjoyed the Power of Us ‘Investing for Good’ workshop in July, particularly questions such as: “Do we have a responsibility as individuals in terms of where we invest or how we invest?” The answer is, of course we do. ESG investing is booming – and will grow further.

Steady wins the race: we must act now to slow tomorrow’s climate emergency

‘Doing good’ isn’t just about the environment – businesses must consider diverse workforces, the local economy and paying taxes. Chief executives must lead by example, but customers also have a role to play in holding companies to account.

In this episode, host Rachel Riley asks the panel, how can businesses be profitable and make a positive contribution to society? Listen now »

Is making a difference mutually exclusive with making a profit – particularly when businesses have a global pandemic to be contending with?

Emmerson Sutton, 13, was galvanised into taking action on climate change when he was just nine years old. Here, the advisor to the young mayor of Lewisham tells Rebecca Burn-Callender about sharing his voice in the Power of Us campaign

Most nine-year-old boys are too busy thinking about Minecraft, Billie Eilish and Star Wars to give much thought to the climate crisis, but Emmerson Sutton’s political career began early. Aged nine, he was voted into office as an advisor to the young mayor of Lewisham, and tasked with helping to allocate a £25,000 budget towards initiatives and projects that help young people in the borough. Over the past four years in office, climate change has been one of Emmerson’s political priorities. “I first started thinking about sustainability while I was in primary school,” says Emmerson. “I saw plastic bottles all over the beach one day and started researching why plastic was in our oceans.”

Now aged 13, Emmerson is the longest-serving young adviser Lewisham Council has ever had. He recently took part in the Power of Us thinker event and podcast, hosted by mathematician and presenter Rachel Riley and created by Legal & General and Telegraph Spark.

Social media has the power to effect lasting change, according to Emmerson. He gets much of his news via Twitter, following activists such as Greta Thunberg and Marcus Rashford. “I don’t know anyone over the age of 18 who doesn’t have a phone,” he says. “Everyone has Twitter or Instagram. If we use social media to spread the message, we can make a big impact.” Emmerson plans to continue his career in politics, and is taking part in LYG33, a new project for young people to give them a chance to have a say in the London Youth Games. He says he will continue to champion sustainability. “Everything is connected,” he says. “When an athlete drinks a bottle of water, is it from plastic?” Emmerson promises that he will continue to ask difficult questions and hold those in power to account. He says: “I want to know who is making the decisions that affect us all, and who is influencing those decisions.”

Protecting the planet: Emmerson believes change will happen when we show people what is possible

We all have a role, from celebrities on social media, to big businesses, to the individual who chooses to walk rather than drive. But to get everyone on board, education and relevancy will play the biggest role.

How can we get climate change to the top of the agenda? The Power of Us podcast delves into the dilemma. Listen now »

How do we get sustainability to the top of the agenda for businesses, communities and individuals?

The theme of the episode was greener futures: “I really enjoy being part of the debate on sustainability,” Emmerson says. “I believe that if we tackle the climate crisis in the right way now, without making any rash decisions, then the future is looking bright for my generation.” Emmerson is calling on big business to commit to more sustainable practices. “Just 100 companies produce 71pc of the world’s greenhouse gases,” he says. “Many of these businesses claim to be working towards a greener future, but they need to start showing real evidence, not just making empty promises. There’s no point in all of us citizens doing our bit when big brands aren’t interested in change.”

“Government is in a tricky situation right now,” he said. “I realise that some things aren’t going to get sorted immediately because of the pandemic, but governments must take ownership of this issue. They need to create a separate group to focus on climate change and sustainability. That would show real leadership.”

Diversity, more open immigration and ensuring that education teaches the right skills will be crucial to building a strong economic recovery, says Philip Salter, founder of The Entrepreneurs Network

When Covid-19 is defeated, Britain will need a way out of this recession. Entrepreneurs will be critical to our economic bounce-back. Quick-witted business owners have already acted fast in response to the pandemic, with Scottish whisky distilleries and London gin-makers shifting production into manufacturing hand sanitisers, as well as many more founders pivoting products, services or their entire business model overnight. Following the 2008 recession unemployment reached its highest rate since 1995. By the end of 2011 almost 2.7 million people were looking for work. But it wasn’t all bad news – when there are fewer jobs to be found in larger businesses, entrepreneurship picks up the slack. Many people even take it as an opportunity to realise a life-long dream. And we can already see this happening in 2020, as new businesses are being founded at a record rate.

However, the Government has a role to play in building an environment conducive to entrepreneurial growth. British economist Adam Smith wasn’t too far off the mark when he said nearly 250 years ago that “little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice.” But peace, low taxes and justice aren’t enough in 2020. Alongside funding, the one thing entrepreneurs are always short of is a more talented workforce. Whether this comes through ensuring the education system teaches the right skills, giving access to retraining for the unemployed or an open immigration system (ideally, all three), the government must ensure entrepreneurs have the human capital necessary to scale their business.

We should also make sure more immigrants are able to come to the UK to start businesses, given that 49pc of the UK’s fastest-growing start-ups have at least one foreign-born co-founder. There must also be a more level playing field. While progress has been made, still just 13pc of total equity investment goes to female-founded start-ups. More work also needs to be done to understand how ethnicity impacts entrepreneurial outcomes. With the traditional nine-to-five job-for-life disappearing, we will all need to become more entrepreneurial. Luckily, early indications suggest that Gen Z are more than up to the task, with many getting a taste for entrepreneurship at an early age simply by selling things online. Our entrepreneurial future is already here – we just need to make sure it’s more fairly distributed.

Nurture talent: it’s time to level up the playing field

There are many reasons for businesses to be cheerful, not least the support shown to them by their local communities this year – which must continue. Networks (created by government or more informally) will be vital for founders to support and learn from one another.

In this podcast episode, we’re looking at the role of entrepreneurs: are they the force that will spearhead recovery? Listen now »

How can we rejuvenate the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit, and help small businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic?

The Clink Charity, which trains prisoners to work in its four on-site restaurants, is an example of what can be achieved when society collectively engages to help those who need it

This past month I was invited – along with Alex Schlagman from savethehighstreet.org and Jen Hartley from Invest Newcastle – to debate how to future-proof society, with our podcast facilitator Rachel Riley. We came up with a solution featuring a society that was fair where everyone contributed in a positive way, and lived in an area where they could work and play. As chief executive of The Clink Charity I have seen that by transforming the lives of prisoners it not only benefits them but also their families, victims of crime and society as a whole, because it reduces crime and encourages employment. Today’s challenge is that there are 80,000 adults in prison in England and Wales, and sadly 47pc of those released reoffend and return to prison within the first 12 months. Reoffending costs the taxpayer £18.1b a year.

We are proud to work alongside Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service where we can reduce the chances of a Clink Graduate reoffending by up to 65.6pc. To this end, The Clink has invested £6m of donations over the last 10 years to build four fine dining training restaurants at HMP High Down, HMP Cardiff, HMP Brixton and HMP Styal. For up to 40 hours a week, the restaurants train volunteer men and women who are in their last 6-18 months of their sentence. They work towards gaining their City and Guilds National Vocational Qualifications in Food Preparation and Cookery, Food and Beverage Service and Food Hygiene. They also improve their soft skills – such as working as part of a team. All the meals prepared by the students use fresh, local and seasonal ingredients as well as produce that has been grown in The Clink Gardens. It is in these gardens that the prisoners also train to gain their qualifications in horticulture by growing vegetables, salad, fruit and herbs. The public dine inside the prison in order to give the students the experience they require in order to gain their qualifications. I also like to think that we are educating the public and helping them understand that the prison population is a cross-section of society just like us – and if we were in prison we would want, need and deserve a second chance. The Clink is only one of a few organisations that works both sides of the wall. Three months before release, The Clink support workers meet with the students. They help them write their CVs, make sure that they have somewhere to live and have job interviews lined up. On the day of release they are met at the prison gate and taken to their accommodation and job interviews. They are then there for them 24/7 for at least 12 months. By training men and women in prison The Clink Charity demonstrates what can be achieved when society collectively engages to help those who want and deserve a second chance.

A taste of success: The Clink Restaurant at HMP Brixton

Coronavirus has allowed us all to rethink what is important. Collaboration and flexibility across all the diverse parts of a local community, such as landlords and tenants, shop owners and local government, the ageing population and younger families, will reflect the rapidly-changing world around us and ensure a place for everyone.

In this podcast episode, Rachel Riley asks the panel how we can build a better future for all parts of society. Listen now »

What are the ingredients that make a healthy society? Where are the cracks, and how can we fix them?

At its heart, tech should become an invisible intervening medium designed to stream joy, knowledge and human emotion, says presenter Jason Bradbury

I have a robot. It’s my Double. Or at least it is when I stream my face to its tablet computer-head. Double is an iPad-based telepresence robot designed to put you in a place where you can’t be physically. Last year I was approached by the pastor of a London Design and Technology school, LDE UTC in East London. He was working with a school in Bangalore, India which was desperate to broaden its teaching faculty. I suggested we package up my Double robot, ship it to India and stream the smiling faces of the best educators we could find directly into the classrooms. Then Covid-19 hit. Like most people, our best laid plans were shelved. Aside from Double’s remarkable spec sheet of innovative features – such as self-driving capabilities, object avoidance, the ability to float an iPad on a stick around a school room like the magic brooms in Fantasia – Double impresses because its purpose is so pure. Its clever accelerometers, WiFi and Bluetooth trickery are all there simply to make a connection; a meaningful human link across thousands of miles.

A noble purpose is at least part of the DNA of technology intended to do good. Of course, it’s not enough to guarantee that even Double doesn’t harvest its data. God forbid the school in India be targeted with adverts for new ‘designer desks’ in the uncanny way our social media feeds become polluted with ads for a product we did only a momentary search for. In this example resides the moral dilemma we are faced with as we shoot towards the scientific omnipotence of Super Intelligent AI. And that is, it’s not the tech that does the harm. It’s us. We accept the surveillance intentions behind those social media adverts, its use in politics and in mental health. That’s on us. And there are other technologies that we are index-linked to as consumers. So without insisting on a firm moral dimension, many new technologies could easily make the ‘Evil List’ – the genetic modification of organisms, facial recognition surveillance. Neither are inherently bad, but their development has been without a solid ethical framework. What we need is a ‘User’s Charter’. A formal agreement that incentivises innovators to make technology that from its inception is designed to transform lives for the better. In my humble telepresence robot I see an abstract for a way forward. It transformed the theatre at the University of Lincoln where I gave a remote lecture while sitting at home in London, and the prize-giving I hosted from the car park of Birmingham’s NEC to children in Stoke-on-Trent. When you use it, all the tech becomes invisible and just an intervening medium designed to stream joy and knowledge and human emotion. That’s a manifesto I can get behind.

Enablement vs encroachment: while robots like Double can help humans connect emotionally, tech such as surveillance cameras can infringe privacy

Inclusivity among the creators of tech is vital, so it can benefit everyone; looking outside of the ‘techie’ community is key. As for humanity? We should learn to work alongside the technology we use, and measure its value by its positive social impact.

Host Rachel Riley and a panel of experts debate how we can make technology work for us, rather than us working for technology on the Power of Us podcast. Listen now »

How can we make tech work for us, rather than the other way round? Covid-19 has thrown our reliance on tech into stark relief, but how can we tell if tech is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for us?

Workers aged over-50 were furloughed this year. Older and younger employees were hardest hit by the pandemic in the UK, according to the Centre for Ageing Better

Covid has increased uncertainty. 58pc of workers over 50 are concerned about the impact of the pandemic on their future finances

By 2029, the number of people aged 65 and over living in England and Wales, according to the British Property Federation

The amount invested in social enterprises and charities in 2019, growing from £830m in 2011, according to Big Society Capital

Number of UK millennials drawn to impact investing, compared to 34pc of Baby Boomers, according to a study by American Century Investments

The amount social impact investing in the UK has increased by over the past eight years

The amount of capital earmarked by Boris Johnson to make the UK ‘the world leader in clean energy’

The number of people living in urban areas (where air pollution is monitored) who are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO guideline limits, according to the United Nations

The number of deaths caused by air pollution annually

People employed by SMEs in the UK – representing three-fifths of total UK employment

The total turnover of UK SMEs – this is around half of total private sector turnover

Small businesses at the start of 2020, up 1.9pc in 2019, according to the FSB

The number of people in England living in an unaffordable, insecure or unsuitable home, according to the National Housing Federation

The UK infrastructure funding gap

The number of homes that must be made energy efficient each year if the UK is to meet its ‘net zero’ carbon targets by 2035

Amount UK-based ‘impact start-ups’ have raised so far in 2020; cleantech and climate technology firms have raised the most

Number of UK adults affected by digital exclusion in the UK, according to Cebr

The amount of investment into ‘tech for good’ start-ups, which focus on solving global issues, has increased by between 2014 and 2019, according to Tech Nation and Dealroom

hen we decided to work with Telegraph Spark and a galaxy of innovative thinkers a year ago, we didn’t know 2020 would be the year of Covid-19. While the pandemic has dominated everyone’s lives and thoughts, it hasn’t made the issues we wanted to tackle go away – quite the opposite. The digital revolution has accelerated as we all got dramatically better at using digital communication while in lockdown and working remotely. The need to address climate change acquired a new urgency as we saw how powerless we are when nature fights back on a global scale. And the vulnerability of ageing populations across the developed world was shown in stark relief as the virus rampaged through care homes.With the health crisis comes the economic crisis – and the challenge of recovery. Not since the 1940s have we needed great ideas and business leadership as much as we do today. Business can work in constructive partnership with government to invest for a better future. We know this can work, but we need capitalism to be effective and inclusive – to work for everybody, across the country and the generations. At Legal & General we are optimists. We know the UK has great ideas, amazing science and technology, deep thinkers and committed campaigners and we have given some of them a platform here. We hope that encourages more people and businesses to join up to inclusive capitalism, so we can really Build Back Better.

As we get older many of our needs change. We may need to rely on public transport, receive more health or social care, or undertake home adaptations to remain independent and active. But what we want out of life doesn’t change – we want financial security, good health, to maintain social connections and, above all, a sense of purpose. In later life, as in any stage, our circumstances vary depending on our health, social background, geographical location and financial circumstances. There are huge inequalities, with 1.9 million (16 per cent) of pensioners in the UK living in poverty. Covid-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities and providing even more of an imperative for us to act now, to improve later life for everyone.

In later life, as in any stage, our circumstances vary depending on our health, social background, geographical location and financial circumstances. There are huge inequalities, with 1.9 million (16 per cent) of pensioners in the UK living in poverty. Covid-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities and providing even more of an imperative for us to act now, to improve later life for everyone.

The theme of the episode was greener futures: “I really enjoy being part of the debate on sustainability,” Emmerson says. “I believe that if we tackle the climate crisis in the right way now, without making any rash decisions, then the future is looking bright for my generation.” Emmerson is calling on big business to commit to more sustainable practices. “Just 100 companies produce 71% of the world’s greenhouse gases,” he says. “Many of these businesses claim to be working towards a greener future, but they need to start showing real evidence, not just making empty promises. There’s no point in all of us citizens doing our bit when big brands aren’t interested in change.”

This past month I was invited – along with Alex Schlagman from Savethehighstreet.org and Jen Hartley from Invest Newcastle – to debate how to future proof society, with our podcast facilitator Rachel Riley. We came up with a solution featuring a society that was fair where everyone contributed in a positive way, and lived in an area where they could work and play. As Chief Executive of The Clink Charity I have seen that by transforming the lives of prisoners it not only benefits them but also their families, victims of crime and society as a whole, because it reduces crime and encourages employment. Today’s challenge is that there are 80,000 adults in prison in England and Wales, and sadly 47% of those released reoffend and return to prison within the first 12 months. Reoffending costs the taxpayer £18.1b a year.

I have a robot. It’s my Double. Or at least it is when I stream my face to its tablet computer-head. Double is an iPad-based telepresence robot designed to put you in a place where you can’t be physically. Last year I was approached by the pastor of a London Design and Technology school, LDE UTC in East Lon don. He was working with a school in Bangalore, India which was desperate to broaden its teaching faculty. I suggested we package up my Double robot, ship it to India and stream the smiling faces of the best educators we could find directly into the classrooms. Then Covid-19 hit. Like most people, our best laid plans were shelved. Aside from Double’s remarkable spec sheet of innovative features — such as self-driving capabilities, object avoidance, the ability to float an iPad on a stick around a school room like the magic brooms in Fantasia — Double impresses because its purpose is so pure. Its clever accelerometers, WiFi and Bluetooth trickery are all there simply to make a connection; a meaningful human link across thousands of miles.

The theme of the episode was greener futures: “I really enjoy being part of the debate on sustainability,” Emmerson says. “I believe that if we tackle the climate crisis in the right way now, without making any rash decisions, then the future is looking bright for my generation.” Emmerson is calling on big business to commit to more sustainable practices. “Just 100 companies produce 71% of the world’s greenhouse gases,” he says. “Many of these businesses claim to be working towards a greener future, but they need to start showing real evidence, not just making empty promises. There’s no point in all of us citizens doing our bit when big brands aren’t interested in change.”

hen we decided to work with Telegraph Spark and a galaxy of innovative thinkers a year ago, we didn’t know 2020 would be the year of Covid-19. While the pandemic has dominated everyone’s lives and thoughts, it hasn’t made the issues we wanted to tackle go away – quite the opposite. The digital revolution has accelerated as we all got dramatically better at using digital communication while in lockdown and working remotely. The need to address climate change acquired a new urgency as we saw how powerless we are when nature fights back on a global scale. And the vulnerability of ageing populations across the developed world was shown in stark relief as the virus rampaged through care homes.With the health crisis comes the economic crisis – and the challenge of recovery. Not since the 1940s have we needed great ideas and business leadership as much as we do today. Business can work in constructive partnership with government to invest for a better future. We know this can work, but we need capitalism to be effective and inclusive – to work for everybody, across the country and the generations. At Legal & General we are optimists. We know the UK has great ideas, amazing science and technology, deep thinkers and committed campaigners and we have given some of them a platform here. We hope that encourages more people and businesses to join up to inclusive capitalism, so we can really Build Back Better.

I have a robot. It’s my Double. Or at least it is when I stream my face to its tablet computer-head. Double is an iPad-based telepresence robot designed to put you in a place where you can’t be physically. Last year I was approached by the pastor of a London Design and Technology school, LDE UTC in East London. He was working with a school in Bangalore, India which was desperate to broaden its teaching faculty. I suggested we package up my Double robot, ship it to India and stream the smiling faces of the best educators we could find directly into the classrooms. Then Covid-19 hit. Like most people, our best laid plans were shelved. Aside from Double’s remarkable spec sheet of innovative features — such as self-driving capabilities, object avoidance, the ability to float an iPad on a stick around a school room like the magic brooms in Fantasia — Double impresses because its purpose is so pure. Its clever accelerometers, WiFi and Bluetooth trickery are all there simply to make a connection; a meaningful human link across thousands of miles.

Creative Director Illustration Project Manager Commissioning Editor Web Editor Development Picture Editor Photos

Designed and produced by Telegraph Spark Creative Director Matthew Brant Illustration Jimmy Turrell Project Manager Tom Warner Commissioning Editor Rachael Adams Web Editor Vanessa Woodgate Development Pedro Hernandez Pictures Nicola Duffy

Telegraph Media Group Limited 2020

About us

Rewards

Archive

Reader prints

Branded content

Syndication

Guidelines

Privacy

T&Cs

Advertising terms

Fantasy sport

Betting offers

Voucher Codes UK

Modern Slavery

About us

Rewards

Archive

Reader prints

Branded content

Syndication

Guidelines

Privacy

T&Cs

Advertising terms

Fantasy sport

Betting offers

Voucher Codes UK

Modern Slavery

Telegraph Media Group Limited 2020

About us

Rewards

Archive

Reader prints

Branded content

Syndication

Guidelines

Privacy

T&Cs

Advertising terms

Fantasy sport

Betting offers

Voucher Codes UK

Modern Slavery

The Clink Charity, which trains prisoners to work in its four on-site restaurants, is an example of what can be achieved when society collectively engages to help those who need it . By Christopher Moore, CEO, The Clink Charity

In under 20 years, one in four of us will be over the age of 65, but instead of viewing this as a burden we must view these longer lives as a precious gift to be celebrated

The coronavirus has forced change that would have been unimaginable last year. View it as a dry run for tomorrow’s climate emergency, says John Elkington

Emmerson Sutton, 13, was galvanised into taking action on climate change when he was just nine years old. Here, he tells Rebecca Burn-Callender about sharing his voice in the Power of Us campaign

Diversity, more open immigration and ensuring that education teaches the right skills will be crucial to building a strong economic recovery

engages to help those who need it

At its heart, tech should become an invisible intervening medium designed to stream joy, knowledge and human emotion, says Jason Bradbury