The technology transformations driving sustainability in large enterprises

Learn how the technologies that large businesses are using to drive sustainability could also help them perform better.

Large businesses are in the spotlight when it comes to sustainability. From 2023, UK listed businesses and financial institutions are required to publish their net zero transition plans. [1] However, did you know that the same technologies that realise your sustainability goals can help you become a higher-performing business?

Large companies that integrate sustainable transformation into their operations are two and a half times more likely to be among tomorrow’s best performing businesses. [2] Let’s find out more.

Enhanced emissions tracking

Technology is key to understanding your enterprise’s emissions levels and reducing them over the long term.

A wide range of resources are now available to help drive your emissions reduction strategy forward. These range from IoT-based monitoring platforms that measure the Scope 1 (direct) emissions generated by your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), to databases and dashboards that provide an instant emissions rating for your suppliers’ (Scope 3) emissions.

These technologies will help you cut your energy consumption and almost always lead to lower bills – especially welcome at a time when gas and electricity costs are rising.

Embrace the future of smart working

The cloud-based technology platforms that help reduce your carbon footprint are also great news for personal productivity, employee wellbeing and staff retention, to name just a few benefits.

Today’s enterprise-grade Software as a Service (SaaS) collaboration platforms bring together all your people’s preferred communication tools and apps in a single platform. This can save employees up to an hour each day that’s otherwise wasted toggling between different apps and tools. [3]

Choose low-carbon platforms

At the same time, cloud platforms can help shrink your Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions. Choosing cloud over on-premise technology in areas like collaboration could improve your energy efficiency by up to 93% [4]. In addition, allowing your people to work from home even one day a week will help reduce business travel, which is classed as a Scope 3 emission.

The leading cloud providers now offer detailed environmental and emissions data for their services,too, so you can easily see how the choosing cloud applications and platforms is helping you advance towards your net zero goals.

Optimise analytics with IoT and smart buildings

Enterprises are leading the way in using innovative digital technologies to monitor business performance in areas ranging from vehicle telematics to smart buildings and buildings automation. These same technologies also seamlessly integrate into your sustainability and net zero agenda. For example:

IoT sensors and smart CCTV

These equip you to collect, monitor and analyse information from multiple functions and operations within your business such as paper consumption, fleet monitoring and waste prevention, assessing their sustainability.

Buildings monitoring and management systems

They let you track, analyse and consolidate data throughout your premises, measuring everything from footfall to meeting room utilisation, and from HVAC costs to carpark capacity, helping you to make informed and sustainable decisions about your spaces.

Data sharing and analytics tools

This offer opportunities for new models of collaboration, especially with customers and partners in your supply chain whose systems are already integrated with your own. For example, Schneider Electric is aggregating data from partners and customers to drive its new energy management solutions [6], and helping to develop novel solutions to environmental and social issues.

These are just a few examples of how sustainability and business performance go hand in hand, enabled by today’s innovative digital technologies.