Integrating Sustainability Into Tech Strategy

How can companies embed technology into sustainability—and ensure lasting impact? In my recent Q&A with Sustainability Magazine I explored how our clients are effectively integrating technology into their sustainability strategies, and tackling some of the biggest challenges of our time. Here are a few expanded insights I shared: ✔️ Real-time carbon tracking and ESG performance tools are transforming decision-making. Companies now have access to unprecedented data on emissions, resource use, and supplier practices—but the key is converting that data into action. Leading organizations use tools that not only monitor but also predict and optimize their sustainability performance. ✔️ Harmonizing financial and non-financial data is a game-changer. Sustainability isn’t just about tracking emissions. Companies that align financial and non-financial data sets gain a clearer view of long-term risks, opportunities, and value creation, helping leaders make informed decisions that drive both business, environmental, and social outcomes. ✔️ Sustainability isn’t just a function—it’s a mindset. Embedding tech requires more than new systems; it demands breaking silos between functions like IT, supply chain, and sustainability teams. Successful companies foster collaboration across these functions, ensuring sustainability is woven into the fabric of how they operate, innovate, and deliver value, together. ✔️ Bold leadership drives real change. Adopting technology is only part of the solution. The organizations achieving scalable impact are the ones where leaders champion sustainability as a core business priority. This requires pairing innovation with accountability and investing in solutions that drive both financial and environmental ROI. And Nature is a stakeholder too! Technology is a powerful enabler, but it’s only as effective as the people and strategies behind it. 📖 Want to dive deeper? Check out the full Q&A here: https://lnkd.in/e5JFzWMb What’s one innovation or strategy your company has used to embed sustainability into your operations? Let’s share and inspire each other. #Sustainability #supplychain #Innovation

Just when you think you’ve got all your #sustainability  focus areas humming along nicely, you read a report by The Carbon Bankroll. That was our team last year when we learned how many tech companies' liquid assets are held in emissions-heavy investment vehicles and in some cases, the investments are contributing to emissions that exceed the company’s scope 1-3 emissions combined. Talk about a wake-up call. “Financial supply chain” emissions have historically been considered immaterial for the tech sector, but we didn't want to ignore them. This realization led Atlassian to examine our own financial supply chain, and we found that some of our investments didn't line up with what we were learning about the Net Zero transition and climate related financial risk. So we collaborated with the finance team to ensure we were taking a long term view. For example, we no longer use investment vehicles involving companies that get more than 10% of revenue from fossil fuel extraction or development. We're aiming for better ROI for the company *and* the climate. This is just a start and there’s more we can do. Here’s the best part, though: what began as curiosity has turned into another avenue for building a more sustainable business. Sometimes subtle really can be thrilling. More details in our “Don’t #@!% the Planet” guide if you want to go deeper: https://lnkd.in/gqEppj6H

Each year, the SAP Innovation Awards spotlight pioneers who leverage technology to create measurable economic, environmental, and social value worldwide.   Our 2025 finalists are navigating a new reality: sustainability initiatives must now find their footing amid economic volatility while simultaneously discovering meaningful applications for AI. The most successful are demonstrating how sustainability and digital transformation can be mutually reinforcing paths toward business resilience.   What distinguishes these innovators is their refusal to depend on goodwill or regulatory pressure alone. Instead, they've built a business case for sustainability that stands on its own financial merits, even as budgets tighten and priorities shift. Their approach transforms environmental action from a cost center into a competitive differentiator by directly linking ecological outcomes to financial performance.   🔹 Systems integration: Connecting previously siloed data across operations to reveal hidden efficiency opportunities (one finalist reduced manufacturing waste by 37% through this approach).   🔹 Risk quantification: Using advanced analytics to transform supply chain data into actionable insights, helping identify both vulnerabilities and opportunities for materials diversification.    🔹 Decision intelligence: Embedding sustainability metrics directly into financial planning processes, enabling real-time assessment of both business and environmental impacts of key decisions.   Want to apply these approaches in your organization? I've highlighted specific methodologies and technologies in this detailed analysis of our finalists: https://lnkd.in/epnEu2su   #SAPInnovationAwards #SAPSustainability