Green ICT on a CxO Degree

Did you know that energy consumption related to the use of digital technology increased by 70% between 2013 and 2020? As you can observe, there is no doubt that new technologies can be disruptive and have a far-reaching impact on the environment. Tobania therefore offers the solution Sustainability Data Modelling as part of its SMART.Business suite, which focuses on process analysis, data modelling and human interactions. A sub-pillar in which notably our Business Analyst and Sustainability Expert Vladimir Lyutyy is fully engaged. In the third edition of our mini-series "Green ICT on a CxO Degree", we are pleased to elaborate on the further prospects of two key concepts within our story: innovation and sustainability.

What impact does innovation have on sustainability and vice versa?

The relationship between innovation and sustainability is a remarkably interesting domain. First, we observe that innovation accelerates and facilitates sustainability. Let's take cloud computing as an example. Cloud computing and cloud storage are widely used as the alternatives to on-premise servers and data warehouses. Not only does this enable more efficient data transfer, cloud technology has also been proven to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of business ICT applications. Moreover, technologies such as cloud computing, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) applications significantly improve the measurement and predictability of various sustainability metrics. So, all good there, right?

Well, not exactly. Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of innovation is adequacy of use. Let's consider another example. The coal industry was one of the key drivers of the industrial revolution. By using the thermal energy of burning coal, people could produce more in less time. Coal engines became a hot topic and were a constant subject of innovation and redesign. At one point, the efficiency of a coal engine increased significantly from the previous concept. One would expect that an engine burning coal more efficiently would reduce the overall use of coal. In practice, global coal use peaked and increased with the efficiency of coal engines. The explanation was quite simple: their efficiency and relatively low operating costs made the engines so affordable that everyone got one. The same can be applied to the energy consumption of personal computers. Once they were expensive and rare, but now we cannot imagine life without them.

And this is an important aspect when it comes to the relationship between innovation and sustainability: they reinforce and facilitate each other, but only if the principle of efficiency and sufficiency go hand in hand.

What makes you optimistic about the strength of companies to meet the challenge of sustainability?

I am optimistic about the strength of companies to meet the challenge of sustainability as it is in the nature of business (and in fact our nature as humans) to adapt to the ever-changing environment. What was once unthinkable and looked like something out of the pages of a sci-fi novel has now become a global standard practice.

Female leadership is one example of such a transformation: by applying the principles of equality and inclusion, many companies have improved their decision-making process and made the workplace a place of opportunity and professionalism. Moreover, companies have resources and skills that are inaccessible to most individuals. Consider the amount of data and innovations that companies generate every day. Even though the challenges of sustainability will prove to be a difficult experience, I believe most companies will successfully make the transformation, making the world a better place to live in.

And lastly, what specific leadership qualities are needed for sustainability innovators?

The good thing about true leaders is that they often listen to and rely on their teams to make an informed decision. When it comes to sustainability innovators, I think the most important leadership qualities are personal integrity, patience and openness to change. Personal integrity is key as those leading sustainable transformation must believe in the goals they are pursuing and act accordingly. Patience is important because most transformations take time. There will be delays, shortfalls and additional difficulties you didn't even know existed, it's inevitable. Only patient and committed leaders will get through the transformations and make it to the final pay-off stage.

Finally, it is important to be open to change. It does not mean occasionally throwing the whole roadmap in the bin and creating a new roadmap from scratch, but sometimes it is necessary to act on the latest information to correct one's course.

Be sure to take a look at the other editions of our "Green ICT on a CxO Degree" column:

• Meet our Sustainability Expert Vladimir Lyutyy
• Key take-aways from the #CopenhagenMission22

Where do you stand in your sustainability journey?

Implementing sustainable business practices doesn't happen overnight. It requires a keen understanding of European regulations (consider the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive - CSRD) and the right approach to implement your green strategy and reporting. With our brand-new offering Sustainability Data Modelling, we leverage our far-reaching data expertise to create the necessary added value you need. More specifically: we provide you with a dedicated team of data experts who can translate their far-reaching sustainability know-how into a concrete roadmap to get you started.

Browse through our Sustainability Data Modelling brochure, get a first impression of our offering and approach, and feel free to contact us to discuss all your concrete questions. We already can't wait to guide you as a wingman towards a greener world: