Consumers have changed: they prefer to buy products and services from ethical, responsible companies with which they share values. Simultaneously, investors increasingly choose sustainable companies to allocate their money and governments generate strict regulations on environmental care. Sustainability thus ceases to be a differentiating strategy or a distinctive resource to become an imperative that no organization can ignore.

In fact, there is a growing number of organizations that are publishing their zero-net plans, that is, the moment in which they will become neutral emitters of carbon dioxide.

The good news is that technology is a key ally on the path to sustainable operations.

From automation to optimization

The digital transformation and the incorporation of automation, work as an engine in the pursuit of sustainability. For starters, paper-based processes are kept to a minimum, which in itself makes a good service to the planet.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: efficiency in all its forms often creates opportunities to lower the carbon footprint. From machines in manufacturing processes that consume exactly what they need to produce what it is demanded, to optimal distribution routes that minimize carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption.

The IT area itself must it’s the homework. First of all, it is the area that uses resources that usually generate an environmental footprint (data centers, networks, devices, cloud services, among others); the measurement of all these factors and the search for continuous improvement in terms of energy efficiency is an open challenge.

Planning and manufacturing

Planning supported by technologies such as artificial intelligence and analytical tools in industrial companies is key to avoiding waste of raw materials or evaluating the cycle of materials to favor reuse and recycling. Then, already in manufacturing, technology helps us to be more sustainable in terms of controlling the use of toxic materials and promote the use of clean energy and sustainable supplies.

Meanwhile, IoT (Internet of Things) combined with AI (artificial intelligence) enables proactive asset management. Anticipating the failure of a machine not only guarantees the continuity of production, but also avoids that toxic or dangerous materials arise from its malfunction.

Chain upgrades

Although the individual efforts of each company are essential to guarantee a sustainable future, collaborative initiatives multiply the benefits and results.

For example, smart business networks not only ensure maximum efficiency in the entire manufacturing and distribution process, but also favor the circular economy and promote transparency. The products are traceable from end to end, ensuring that there is no child labor or exploitation along the way and that the design and production of all intermediate points have taken care of pollution-reducing methods.

Whatsmore, when an organization uses customer experience and gamification tools, it can establish awareness mechanisms so that each of its employees acquire responsible behaviors in the use of water, energy or other resources.

Sustainability management

A business maxim states that anything that cannot be measured cannot be improved either. With that in mind, many sustainability management tools already exist. These solutions focus on the company being able to establish goals, generate metrics and evaluate its progress, in order to determine if they are on the right path or if it is necessary to make some changes in order to find the right one.

In conclusion, the future is sustainable, and technology is the vehicle that allows companies to access this new era in business.