Kyndryl,released the second Global Sustainability Barometer study, commissioned by Microsoft. The study, conducted by Ecosystm, shows that while 21% of organisations surveyed globally use technology to reduce their environmental footprint and shape their overall sustainability strategy, 54% of organisations in India leverages technology to achieve sustainability goals. Since last year, 31% of Indian organisations have increased their sustainability goals and execution.
“As the world faces increasing climate-related challenges, businesses are under pressure to act decisively and place sustainability at the forefront—and this year’s Global Sustainability Barometer study highlights that organisations must move from intent to collective action to drive change,” said Faith Taylor, Chief Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Officer at Kyndryl. “By integrating sustainability into a company’s business strategy, processes and systems, organisations can maximise the value of their people and technology to achieve internal goals and deliver positive impact.”
The study shows that leaders are increasingly recognising the benefits of sustainability initiatives for their organisations, with specific areas where improvements can be made. By embedding technology into sustainability strategies, organisations can turn abstract goals into actionable, data-driven plans.
The study highlights the following areas of opportunity:
⦁ While 59% of Indian organisations say sustainability goals and initiatives are incorporated into existing reporting processes, only 12% fully use data for strategic planning and decision-making.
⦁ 99% of Indian businesses use data to track or measure sustainability efforts to some degree, however 87% don’t use the data from their sustainability initiatives to guide the organisation’s transformation journey
⦁ 29% of the Indian businesses believe AI will significantly impact their achievement of sustainability goals. However, 51% of organisations do not consider the environmental impact when implementing AI solutions.
Matthew Sekol, a Sustainability Global Black Belt at Microsoft, added, “Companies can gain the insights needed to deliver on their commitments and drive resilience by integrating sustainability data with operational and financial data, and using traditional data analytics and robust AI tooling to reshape operational efficiencies and foster sustainable innovations.”
Taking action to advance sustainability strategies
The study’s detailed analyses and deep insights can enable organisations to enhance their sustainability efforts. To fully realise an organisation’s potential, consider the following guiding principles:
⦁ Technology must be core to strategic planning. 34% of Indian businesses leverage IT to reduce their technology environmental impact, while 20% say data and technology is helping achieve organisational sustainability goals. Only 18% of businesses focus on achieving both through technology. In the next year, companies should consider integrating technology into sustainability strategies to turn abstract goals into actionable plans.
⦁ Recast the role of AI. 76% of Indian organisations use AI to monitor energy use and emissions, but only 28% use AI to predict future energy consumption based on current data. Integrating ⦁ AI-powered scenario planning and climate risk mitigation allows organisations to adopt a holistic approach to environmental responsibility, enhancing readiness for future challenges.
⦁ Harness data for proactive business transformation. Disparate data across various enterprise planning systems is seen as a clear challenge as only 13% businesses in India use ⦁ data to guide their transformation journeys. By effectively integrating the disparate data, organisations gain a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of their environmental impact, which leads to informed sustainability decisions.
⦁ Foster a culture of collective responsibility. CEOs continue to shape sustainability goals and 55% of organisations consider Chief Sustainability Officers and sustainability teams key stakeholders. The next step is for organisations to fully engage cross-functional teams, particularly finance and technology, to move sustainability into a core business priority and ensure implementation.
While the benefit of AI for sustainability is gaining traction, AI’s environmental impact is a growing concern. Only 46% of Indian organisations are considering the energy implications of their AI solutions. Kyndryl and Microsoft provide actionable strategies for organisations to measure infrastructure baseline emissions and optimise AI architectures, including AI and machine learning models to minimise energy use and reduce waste. The two companies work closely with organisations to ensure that technological advancements contribute positively to sustainability goals without compromising innovation.
“The study’s findings confirmed our understanding of the Indian market: consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable products and services. As customer expectations rise and regulations tighten, Indian organisations must prioritise sustainability initiatives,” says Sash Mukherjee VP Industry Insights Ecosystem. “The power of data and technology extends beyond environmental benefits, enabling organisations to integrate sustainability into their broader strategic goals.”
