Become a sustainability trailblazer

Build pathways toward prosperity using artificial intelligence (AI), data, collaboration and empathy
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We are the architects of change

In the face of climate change and increasing external pressure from stakeholders and consumers, businesses are racing to achieve vital sustainability objectives. However, these aspirations hold value only if they can be effectively measured. The pursuit of sustainability requires transformation propelled by commitments that must be ingrained into an organization’s culture, operating models and daily workflows.
 
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Key insight: 80% of CEOs expect sustainability investments to deliver business results within five years

Many executives still see sustainability and profitability as conflicting rather than complementary—even though 80% of CEOs expect sustainability investments to deliver business results within five years.1 The mindset needs to shift from viewing sustainability as a regulatory requirement or a stakeholder expectation to reconceiving sustainability as an opportunity for operational efficiencies, transformation, profit and growth.
Above all, becoming more sustainable is an opportunity to innovate.
Kareem Yusuf, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, Product Management and Growth IBM Sustainability Software
Good news: Nobody is tackling sustainability alone

You’ll have help from colleagues, technology, data, AI and ecosystem of partners. To start, you need to assess your business priorities and operational opportunities, which can fall into four mindsets.
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Key insight: While 86% of companies have a sustainability strategy, only 35% have taken action on it.²
Which mindset are you? Assessing

Your organization hasn’t yet invested in sustainability. Environmental initiatives aren’t part of your business strategy. Now is the time to view the current state of your end-to-end operations.

 Start at build Complying

You need to meet regulatory requirements and have invested in some level of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. You primarily use technology to monitor performance. Your approach is more reactive than proactive when it’s about involving stakeholders.

 Start a build Operational

You already view sustainability as an opportunity versus an obligation. You’ve invested in operational improvements, especially with the help of data. You can unlock the power of AI to make your data more meaningful and actionable. You need to shift from manual to automated processes to gain enhanced visibility and expedite progress toward your sustainability goals.

 Start at operationalize Transformational

Environmental and social impact is integral to your organization’s mission and business strategy. You’re using data, innovation and ecosystem partners to execute sustainability efforts at every level. And you’re interested to learn how AI can expedite your journey and accelerate business outcomes.

 Start at operationalize
Take the next step

It’s clear that the future of business is sustainability. However, to make that vision a reality, businesses need to operationalize their goals today, and adopt technology to support automation, transparency and reliability.

You’ve taken the first step by assessing your current mindset. Now let’s dive into the two tracks to learn more.

 Neste
Flexibility and more renewable fuels Neste, a top sustainable aviation fuel producer, pledged in 2015 to fight climate change and promote a greener planet. Today, waste and residue products constitute more than 90% of Neste’s total renewable raw material inputs.
IBM® Global Real Estate
Sustainability technologies for facilities IBM Global Real Estate is using IBM Sustainability Software to embed insights into daily operating decisions for more sustainable facilities management. It has even won two awards for its effective sustainability-driven initiatives.
New York Power Authority (NYPA)
Advancement of the VISION2030 strategy NYPA unified its asset management system on IBM® Maximo® software to support digital transformation. It used several Maximo solutions—including assets, inventory, planning, preventive maintenance and work order modules—to manage its generation and transmission operations.
Continue reading

To become a sustainability trailblazer, you need a strategic roadmap that drives innovation while addressing demands from stakeholders.

 Read Chapter 2: Build your sustainability roadmap
 
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Citations

¹ Seven bets, IBM Institute for Business Value, May 2023
² Sustainability as a transformation catalyst, IBM Institute for Business Value, January 2022