2025-03-11 –, Auditorium
How can we measure open source’s impact on sustainable development? Join experts from CHOSS SDG WG as they explore innovative metrics to assess social and environmental contributions, beyond just economic value. Discussions will cover challenges, best practices, and strategies to empower open source communities in advancing global goals.
As discussions grow around open source as a catalyst for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global good (e.g., Global Compact), a key question emerges: how do we effectively measure open source and its impact on building a better world? Despite considerable efforts to quantify the economic value of open source, there remains a significant gap in evaluating whether, and how, these projects contribute to sustainable development and the public good.
The challenge is that there are no "simple metrics" that can easily be applied to such an abstract and multifaceted topic. To address this, we are bringing together experts from CHOSS SDG WG with diverse—even unlikely—backgrounds: ranging from humanitarian and development work to innovation, academic research on open source sustainability, public policy, and impact evaluation. The goal is to discuss ongoing research, share practical insights, and explore how metrics and metadata can be reimagined to better capture open source’s contributions to "global public goods."
Discussion Points will include:
- State of the current landscape: Drawing from international initiatives and governance frameworks, panelists will explore how open source and achieving SDGs are linked. Examples of open source projects in humanitarian/development/social impact and their impact evaluation metrics will be discussed.
- Challenges in Measuring Impact: The panel will address the gap in evaluating the social and environmental contributions of open source projects, especially beyond traditional economic metrics.
Innovative Metrics and Pathways: Panelists will share insights from their experience, research collaboration, discussing specific metrics that both digital and non-digital projects can adopt to align more effectively with SDGs. - Engaging Open Source Communities: Panelists will propose actionable strategies for open source communities eager to contribute to sustainable development. They will discuss the nuances of making impactful contributions and highlight opportunities for scaling efforts toward global goals.
Cassie Jiun Seo is a public-interest technology specialist. Her expertise lies in responsible innovation and sustainable use of opensource within complex, volatile environments and geopolitical settings, particularly in the humanitarian, development, cooperation and crisis/emergency response.
With a focus on the intersection of technology and global challenges, Cassie has advised the World Health Organization on leveraging open source for enhanced pandemic preparedness. Previously, she led the digital unit at the Norwegian Refugee Council, developing critical tools and infrastructure for large-scale humanitarian operations.
Michael Downey leads the Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE) team at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN's lead international development agency. OSEE is a multi-agency initiative co-led with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to speed countries' progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by organizing their efforts around open source policy and ecosystem activity for public service innovation.
Michael’s career in IT and open source spans over decades in the healthcare and financial services industries, as well as the nonprofit world. At UNDP, he helps the Chief Digital Office build a vibrant and active global open source software community for high-impact digital-focused international development. Previously, he led open source projects at the United Nations Foundation and was director of community for OpenMRS, an internationally-focused health IT platform. As a long-time participant in the digital development community, he is excited about UNDP’s unique opportunity to help build a digital society that serves everyone.
He did undergraduate study in electrical and computer engineering, and PhD research on cross-cultural computer supported cooperative work. A long-time supporter and advocate for free and open source software, Michael has also on various open source project & foundation boards, including GNOME, F-Droid, and LibreHealth.
