VIEWPOINT Harnessing AI for climate action Organisations need to prioritise sustainability in their corporate strategies and leverage technologies that automate processes to meet their net-zero targets Climate concerns are continuing to grow following recent extreme weather events and many climate records being broken. The time for climate action is now. The good news is that businesses across industries are stepping up. However, work still remains to be done. While 85 per cent of organisations place a high importance on sustainability goals, only 16 per cent incorporate sustainability into their corporate strategies with targets based on data and measuring progress, according to a global sustainability barometer study conducted across five continents by Ecosystm, in partnership with Kyndryl and Microsoft. Organisations must commit to definitive steps to close the gap between ambition and action. Incorporating sustainability into corporate transformation plans needs to be a strategic priority aligned with financial goals and delivered by the entire organisation. Mature organisations are leveraging technology to unlock the full potential of sustainability technologies. They are meeting customer demands, lowering costs and creating new value driving revenues. Technology that automates processes can help make sustainability projects more efficient. In fact, Kyndryl’s joint study found that automation is critical to streamlining operations, minimising human error and accelerating progress toward sustainability objectives. As technology tools like artificial intelligence become more sophisticated, they could help organisations innovate and amplify their sustainability initiatives. This includes designing products that reduce environmental impact or pioneering strategies to address waste reduction. When organisations embrace predictive AI to support sustainability strategies, they can make enhanced data-driven decisions, increase resource efficiency and improve their business continuity efforts. Technology can also be used to assess the carbon footprint of IT estates, from cloud computing to data centre operations, to enable integrated sustainable platforms and lower energy consumption. Kyndryl is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and has recently released its first Corporate Citizenship Report, reflecting its dedication to long-term societal impact. Additionally, Kyndryl is helping customers responsibly explore the adoption of generative AI solutions. Taking collective action could create sustainable scalable solutions and resilient organisations. Waiting is no longer an option. Faith Taylor is vice president of global sustainability, and environmental, social and governance officer at Kyndryl FAITH TAYLOR: KYNDRYL “Incorporating sustainability into corporate transformation plans needs to be a strategic priority” 51
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