To operationalize sustainability, harness the power of AI and data

Investors and consumers are putting increasing pressure on companies to make progress towards more sustainable and socially-responsible business operations. They also expect them to show these improvements in a strong and demonstrable manner. According to a Forrester report, environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility were ranked third by large corporations. It is still difficult for all parties to have access to the diverse data required to understand and report on sustainability programs.

IBM acquired Envizi to help companies address these challenges. Envizi is a leader in data and analytics software for environmental performance management. Envizi joins IBM’s growing collection of AI-powered software, including IBM Maximo asset manager solutions, IBM Sterling supply chain solution and IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite. This will help companies evaluate the effects of the environment on their business and the business environment.

Sustainable innovation is gaining momentum

David Solsky, founder of Envizi, pointed out that executives have made significant changes in their outlooks on sustainability over the past two-years. Leaders today are excited about the opportunity to reimagine commerce and business with a sustainability-first perspective. This was also the time when the response to the COVID-19 epidemic has demonstrated the ability of an enterprise to adapt to and thrive in the face of adversity. The rapid development of new vaccines has proven the power and potential of technological transformation.

Sustainability is now a top board issue that has a visible impact on the bottom line. Teams today have the resources and support of their leaders to achieve ESG goals and live in the moment.

When leaders of organizations take a step back and look at how they can tackle sustainability, one common challenge is to get, apply, and manage the data. It is often difficult to track and capture vital data that can be used for improving sustainability, such as energy data from different markets. Although acquiring this data will continue to be a challenge, we are working to ease the burden by unifying key systems.

IBM and Envizi will speed up the journey

Because they are often the core of an entire operating footprint, supply chain and asset management offer the greatest opportunities for innovation and environmental improvement. These operating systems, along with other business areas, hold the key information necessary to improve sustainability.

Envizi and IBM have been two halves of an ideal approach. Envizi collects, analyses, and reports on ESG-related data through Envizi, while IBM has made improvements to operations. We are now bringing them together.

IBM’s solutions portfolio already assists organizations in reducing environmental impact and improving sustainability as part their ongoing business. These include increasing supply chain visibility using IBM Sterling, enabling intelligent asset management and monitoring with IBM Maximo, and enabling intelligent facility administration with IBM TRIRIGA. IBM’s Environmental Intelligence Suite also assists organizations in managing climate risks. This software allows energy companies to automate tree-trimming near powerlines, assign workers to new locations, and optimize repair and replacement of critical equipment.

Envizi provides a complete software solution to help you manage performance for all of these systems and activities. Envizi has 13 years of sustainability management experience, and a deep understanding of greenhouse gas (GHG), emissions reporting. This knowledge is crucial for helping organizations meet regulatory and voluntary reporting requirements.

IBM will now integrate Envizi with its existing software, automating the feedback loop between corporate reporting and operational endpoints. This integration will combine day-to-day operations with sustainability data and strategy in order to provide a complete solution that allows organizations move faster and reach their goals.

Envizi and IBM share an important value: innovation that is good for our businesses and the world. As we have worked together over the years to improve data management in support of our emission reduction commitments, this became evident. We are excited to share the power of Envizi and IBM’s existing suite with the rest of the world.

A sustainable future

This is great news for anyone who has a passion for sustainable business and an innovative mindset. Integrated business solutions allow organizations to embed sustainability goals into their daily operations, making it easier for them to make great strides towards building resilient and sustainable businesses.

source https://www.ibm.com/blogs/blockchain/2022/01/harnessing-the-power-of-data-and-ai-to-operationalize-sustainability/