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The Security Threat of Climate Change

CORPORATE / 01.18.21 / Neelam Sandhu

Last year brought us record-breaking wildfires, floods and hurricanes, during a global pandemic. These devastating events are a stark reminder that climate change is not an issue that can wait, but one we must address now. 

In a recent report by the U.S. National Security, Military and Intelligence Panel (NSMIP) climate change is described as the one of the most pressing threats to national and global security. Economic instability, infrastructure risks, decreased water supplies and social unrest are named as a few of the potential outcomes of the climate change trajectory we are on today. 

Tackling climate change requires a global effort, from governments, businesses, communities, and individuals. Governments and businesses are in a particularly impactful position to drive positive change. Some of the key steps the public and private sectors can take include:

  • Making climate change a national security priority
  • Developing critical infrastructure resilience against climate change risks
  • Every organization committing to rapidly achieving net zero emissions
  • Investing in technologies that helps solve sustainability challenges

Only a concerted agenda and effort from governments and businesses will deliver the movement required to reverse the impact of our actions that have led to the climate catastrophe we face today. 

As a technology and a security company, BlackBerry recognizes the key role we have in addressing climate change. Our commitments and initiatives, built in-line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, include:

  • Pledges to be carbon neutral and to eliminate the use of single-use plastics this year
  • Investments in technologies that enable sustainability, such as our BlackBerry® QNX software that powers electric vehicles
  • Developing solutions to enable national security and critical infrastructure resilience, such as our BlackBerry® AtHoc software for critical event management
  • Partnerships with public and private sector organizations, including universities, to advance national and global sustainability solutions and targets

The climate change goals we need to accomplish as a global community, for our security and that of future generations, are ambitious. The past few months have shown us is that we are capable of rapid and drastic change, with a unified effort on a global scale.

Neelam Sandhu
Vice President of Business Operations & Strategic Accounts, Office of the CEO
BlackBerry

Neelam Sandhu

About Neelam Sandhu


SVP Sustainability & Chief Elite Customer Success Officer at BlackBerry
Neelam Sandhu
 is Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Elite Customer Success Officer, at BlackBerry, reporting to the CEO.  In this role she leads the relationships with BlackBerry’s top customers, driving them to gain long-term competitive advantages by leveraging the breadth and depth of the BlackBerry platform. Neelam is also responsible for corporate sustainability at BlackBerry. Additionally, she assists the CEO on some operational tasks.

Since joining BlackBerry in 2009 Neelam has held various positions, based out of the company’s United Kingdom, New York and California offices. Her responsibilities have included Brand Management, Brand Messaging, Marketing Operations, Go-To-Market planning, Corporate Strategic Initiatives, and CEO Office Business Operations.

Neelam serves on the Board of AFCEA DC, and Chairs the Consumer Technology Association’s Artificial Intelligence Committee. She holds a Bachelor’s degree, with Honors, in Business Management, from the University of Leicester and an Executive Certification in Financial Analysis from the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.