Board Talk: ESG strategies for sustainable technology and automation

In the boardroom, discussions on sustainable technology are presently focussed on ways to evidence and measure to support ESG commitments, but also on assessing its viability to support growth and efficiency targets. Sourcing and integrating sustainable technology, and how this falls into a company’s ESG goals comes hand in hand with how we reduce carbon footprints. So too does introducing automation technology to reduce overall platform costs and what that means for company value.

Where do we start? With what Sustainable technology is.

Simply put, it’s about how we put people and planet first. Check out the sustainable web manifesto (Sustainable Web Manifesto) that tells us if the internet were a country it would be the fourth largest polluter. Difficult to comprehend isn’t it?

On their website they reference very accessibly efficiency (using least amount of energy and material resources possible), open and honesty (allowing users to control their data without misleading or exploiting), and resilience (based on the places and times people need things most).

• Efficiency: how can we make technology efficient?Moving to cloud resources which scale with demand we minimise computational waste. Through having more data efficient services that stream data only when needed, mobile phone data can be saved by customers accessing information. Transitioning to paperless environments and working remotely as part of how the post-pandemic world of work means we’re all using technology to collaborate in ways that minimises carbon commuting costs.
• Open and honest: how can we deliver honest outcomes through technology?In a world that embraces diversity and inclusion, it’s imperative that organisations have tools that can be operated by a range of users in differing circumstances. A great example is how Which? ranks customer service standards on accessibility and making things clear and simple so as not to discriminate against particular customer cohorts.
• Resilience: what does it mean to have resilient technology?Ensuring that systems can scale effectively and withstand usage spikes to mitigate risk of outages. Protecting systems against malicious attacks doesn’t just mean considering cyber threats to data, but also can include targeting to websites, and so system resilience is crucial to avoid them becoming overwhelmed and failing right when customers need them most.

What role can automation play in meeting ESG goals?

ESG initiatives can cover a very broad spectrum of activities, from decarbonisation through to diversity. Having a clear set of goals agreed by the board allows organisations to set realistic and achievable paths to delivering those goals, embedded within the company’s strategic plans.

Where automation can become an ally is in process automating to remove manual steps, giving more coverage and improved robustness of operations. Think about how a frictionless happy path is always cheaper than an unhappy one, delivering improved cost to serve outcomes and less customer contact. All better for the planet.

Where can teams look to make improvements?

• Data - tracking metrics on effectiveness of user journeys
• Customer flows - optimising to reduce clicks, simplifying navigations and creating more self service options
• Workflows - guiding agents intuitively to drive first contact resolution, as far as possible, through automation
• Automated software QA - coverage orders of magnitude higher than manual, and cheaper to run

How game changing can AI be when it comes to delivering a lower carbon, more inclusive company?

I’m going to be bold here and say pretty seriously.

Virtual assistants that are designed to stimulate human conversations are being used by many organisations, with people mostly unaware they aren’t even speaking to a ‘real human’. Using AI and natural language processing (NLP) technologies to allow them to understand responder user queries in a conversational manner is going to be hugely transformational.

Sentiment analysis will use natural language processing and machine learning techniques to determine the emotional tone expressed in text, which can cover everything from customer reviews to social media comments or chat interactions. Rating text as positive, negative or neutral will give insights into attitudes and opinions of customers to enable delivering the most appropriate outcomes, again contributing to greater efficiency. Customer satisfaction can then be quality assured and recurring issues can be proactively addressed to empower more first contact resolution, improving customer experience.

For the energy industry to continue to grow and evolve, my view is that company mobility needs to be scaffolded by inclusive systems. The road to net zero will require creative thinking and new and innovative ideas, and will only be reached if we ensure that everyone has the ability to bring their whole selves to work, and are set up with the right tools to enable them to succeed based on the challenges of tomorrow.

When it comes to accessibility I’ve heard fairly transformational life stories too, such as a deaf receptionist helped to more fully participate in their role by using intelligent technology to support customers by telephone instead of just online. Call handling times reduced through efficient note summaries being created to support colleagues with dyslexia. The possibilities really are endless.

Specifically talking about energy for a moment, and considering vulnerability. Across the industry AI has the potential to unlock many benefits for vulnerable customers, as it could proactively identify challenges these customers are having and provide actionable insights whilst also help striking a balance between efficiency and cost reduction.?

? Enhanced Customer Support:?AI-powered chatbots can provide personalised round-the-clock support to vulnerable customers, answering their queries and guiding them through various processes to ensure they receive support when they need it most.

? Identification & Targeted Outreach:?AI can help energy providers identify vulnerable customers who may benefit from additional support and outreach initiatives. By leveraging data analytics and machine learning, energy companies can proactively reach out to these customers and offer tailored services or assistance programs. This approach can help address their specific needs, such as payment plans, energy efficiency advice, or priority services during outages.

? Energy Consumption Monitoring:?Coupling smart meters with AI enabled monitoring system can help aid vulnerable customers track and manage their energy usage more effectively by making adjustments as necessary. This empowers vulnerable customers to control their energy costs and avoid unexpected bills.

What about governance of automation?

Whilst the potential is huge we should also be considered in our approach to adoption. AI and more specifically Generative AI like ChatGPT along with its huge potential does have certain grey areas and we need to ensure we take into account ethical considerations. Transparency, fairness, and privacy must be upheld to protect particularly vulnerable customers, and the AI algorithms and models need to be audited and monitored to prevent discriminatory practices.?That’s an emerging consideration as boards extend their responsibilities with this emergent technological revolution.