India Shows Promise in Leveraging Technology to Achieve Sustainability Goals, Study Reveals

New Delhi: In a study commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by Ecosystm, a significant proportion of organizations in India have adopted technology to achieve sustainability goals. The second edition of the Global Sustainability Barometer study found that 54% of organizations in India leverage technology to aim for sustainability, while an increase of 31% of Indian organizations say they have enhanced their sustainability goals over the past year.

As the world confronts growing climate-related challenges, businesses are under pressure to prioritize sustainability. According to Faith Taylor, Chief Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability Officer at Kyndryl, "Businesses must move from intent to collective action to drive change through sustainability."

The study highlights several areas where organizations in India can improve their sustainability efforts by integrating technology into their strategies. Leaders recognize the benefits of sustainability initiatives for their organizations, with 59% incorporating sustainability goals into existing reporting processes.

However, only 12% of Indian businesses fully utilize data for strategic planning and decision-making regarding sustainability initiatives. Moreover, 51% of organizations do not consider environmental impact when implementing AI solutions, while 29% believe that AI will significantly impact their achievement of sustainability goals.

To leverage technology for sustainability, considering the following guiding principles is crucial:

1. Technology must be integrated into strategic planning, with 34% of Indian businesses using IT to reduce environmental impact.
2. Recasting the role of AI to adopt a holistic approach to environmental responsibility through scenario planning and climate risk mitigation.
3. Harnessing data to drive proactive business transformation by integrating disparate data across various enterprise planning systems.

Kyndryl and Microsoft have provided actionable strategies for organizations to measure baseline infrastructure emissions, optimize AI architectures, and minimize energy consumption. The companies believe that technological advancements can contribute positively to sustainability goals without compromising innovation.

According to Sash Mukherjee VP Industry Insights at Ecosystm, "Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable products and services. Organizations in India must prioritize sustainability initiatives as customer expectations rise and regulations tighten."