What role does technology, and digitalization in particular, play in sustainable development efforts?
A. E.: Over half of chief executive officers are leveraging digital technology as a pivotal tool to attain their environmental sustainability objectives. Data is a must to understand and track sustainability progress. AI-based innovations play a crucial role in enhancing corporate energy efficiency. This significant improvement is achievable through the collaborative efforts of digital and sustainability teams, emphasizing the importance of synergy between technological innovation and environmental stewardship.
P. H.: Digital will continue to support sustainable development goals, everywhere on the planet. For example, we know that more than 3 billion people will move to cities in the coming years, mainly in the southern hemisphere. We will have new megacities with a young population that will require cities with controlled energy consumption, and therefore largely digitalized. India has understood this well: more than 13 smart cities are being built on this model.
Within your own companies, how do you evaluate the progress of these transformations?
P. H.: This is long-term, large-scale work: when companies lease ten office buildings under a ten-year contract, it makes sense to invest in reducing energy consumption. We leased our Singapore offices for 25 years, and the building was already 25 years old. Thanks to our renovation, it is now one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the city.
A. E.: We have made strong progress over the years and we are already mobilizing technology to achieve our sustainability goals. For example, in India, our teams worked with Schneider Electric to set up a common energy center at our facilities; The system is fully automatic, based on AI, and allows us to adjust our consumption in real time. We reduced our consumption by 29% in the first year alone. We are now taking this system to the market, to help our clients within their own structures. This is another example of how technology is necessary, but not sufficient, to achieve these transformations: collaboration is key if we want to find adapted, innovative solutions.
(1) According to the Capgemini Research Institute “Sustainability trends 2023” report, 63% of executives agreed that the business case for sustainability is clear. This percentage has tripled YoY.