Digital Empowerment: Mastercard’s Community Pass and the Role of Private Sector in Sustainable Development

In the most recent installment of Mastercard’s podcast, “What’s Next In,” which casually delves into technology, innovation, and concepts, host Vicki Hyman converses with Tara Nathan, the creator of Community Pass. This is a social initiative by Mastercard that aims to construct digital infrastructure to enhance access to essential services such as healthcare, agriculture, and micro-commerce for individuals in underprivileged, isolated, and often offline communities.

As global leaders convened in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly to deliberate on how to expedite action on sustainable development objectives, including alleviating poverty, hunger, and inequality, Nathan elaborates on the potential role of the private sector in providing services in a commercially viable and scalable manner. She also discusses how individuals can leverage digitalization and their personal data to enhance their lives and economic conditions.
 
"We're peeling back the layers to a problem and creating solutions," Nathan says. "Digitization is helping to bring critical services and brighter opportunities to people in developing markets — and Mastercard is working to bridge the stiff digital divide."