How artificial intelligence can help you reach your sustainability goals

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the “systems or machines that perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, and can iteratively improve themselves over time, based on the information they collect”, as described by David Jensen, the coordinator of the United Nations Environment Program’s Digital Transformation sub-programme.

AI has undoubtedly transformed the way we work, but it can also contribute to positive sustainability outcomes for businesses. In fact, research by PwC UK estimates that AI could increase the global economy by around 4.4% by 2030, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4% and create over 38 million new jobs around the world. In our Sustainable Futures: Career Conversations series, Sarwar Khan, Sustainability Director for Business at BT, explains how “technology can help us to leapfrog some of the biggest challenges we’re facing in our society” and climate change is certainly one of the most important challenges we have to address.

Despite AI having the potential to be a force for good in the sustainability sphere, evidence suggests that it’s still being underutilised in organisations. Nearly three-quarters (73%) aren’t currently using AI tools and technologies and only 16% of professionals believe they possess the right skills to make the best use of AI in the workplace, according to our latest Salary & Recruiting Trends guide.

How can advancements in artificial intelligence help employers to reach their sustainability goals? We’ll explore how the adoption of AI within organisations can lead to these positive outcomes:

• More accurate environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting
• More time for employees to focus on high-value activities
• More sustainable supply chains
• Increased monitoring and control over energy usage

More accurate environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting

You can’t manage what you don’t measure. In the case of your corporate sustainability strategy, AI can help you to accurately track, measure and summarise your environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments.

The access to big data that AI tools provide means that your organisation can adapt to the latest proposals and changes to ESG reporting in real-time, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive that was introduced by the European Union in 2023. What’s more, if your organisation has multiple offices in the UK or across the world, then AI-based platforms can improve the uniformity and consistency of your ESG reporting across different locations.

AI can provide you with greater insight into the impact that your business operations have on the environment and local communities. However, it’s important to ensure that you also have the budget, as well as the business frameworks and policies in place to make your sustainability strategies a success. As Khan explains, “technology alone isn’t the silver bullet, we have to think more holistically about the broader ecosystem, including government, policy and finance”.

More time for employees to focus on high-value activities

Advancements in AI have impacted the nature of sustainability jobs and the skills required for success in this field. AI tools and systems can speed up laborious tasks that sustainability professionals would normally have to take on, such as research and data collection, which frees up their time to concentrate on more high-value activities.

While having a technical understanding of the data collection process is still beneficial, with the help of AI, employees can focus on interpreting data, bringing it to life and using it to influence behaviour. Encouraging business leaders to make more sustainable decisions and managing the conflicting priorities of different stakeholders during the development of sustainability strategies are examples of key activities that professionals can dedicate more time to, with the help of AI.

More sustainable supply chains

Another useful adoption of AI in the sustainability sphere is the optimisation of supply chains. AI tools can be used to track inventories and enhance supplier alignment and collaboration. By streamlining these aspects of the supply chain, manufacturers can instead focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of their production processes. Khan explains that “it’s very difficult to get to a greener world without connectivity and smarter technology”.

Increased monitoring and control over energy usage

AI can facilitate the real-time monitoring of resource consumption, which can increase your organisation’s visibility and control over its energy usage. For example, you can utilise AI systems that continuously analyse data from sensors stationed around your premises to optimise your energy usage, water consumption and more. By lowering your organisation’s consumption of energy and other resources with the help of AI, you’ll be taking steps towards reducing your Scope 1 emissions. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the use of AI can be very energy intense, so make sure the data centres powering your AI systems are using renewable energy.

Using AI to help reach your sustainability goals

There are no stories without data and no data without stories – AI can give you a broader and more detailed understanding of how your business operations impact the environment and communities around you. Using AI tools responsibly can lead to more accurate environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, more sustainable supply chains and increased monitoring and control over energy usage.

AI has the potential to transform ways of working in the sustainability space and improve business productivity. Professionals can utilise AI tools and platforms to assist with labour-intensive tasks, which presents them with the opportunity to instead focus on high-value activities that’ll have a greater impact on sustainability outcomes in the long-run.

If you’re looking for sustainability or technology professionals to take your organisation to new heights, get in touch today.

For more insights from business leaders who are championing the green agenda, be sure to check out the other episodes in our Sustainable Futures: Career Conversations series.