It’s time to wake up….

Bruno Schenk, April 2022

Can you hear the eco?

You know when the alarm clock goes off in the morning, and you instinctively reach for the snooze button? Well, society has been collectively pressing snooze for too long on the issue of climate change. Many of us have recognized from the beginning of the industrial revolution, when cities started to become engulfed by smog, that fossil fuels are harmful to health. As ecological science progressed over the last century, clearer evidence has emerged. Acid rain, melting ice caps and rising temperatures have resulted in extreme weather - including severe floods and droughts, and these cannot be just coincidences. Individually and collectively, many of us have pressed snooze. Yet, the last decade has seen more action than at any time in history as we now realize that we must awake from our slumber. We must get up and meet the challenge of climate change head on, as individual, family, team or organization.

In the journey to net-zero there are leaders and exemplars that highlight that change is possible. And when you take a longer-term strategic view, this change is essential for commercial success. The changes in the business landscape need to start at the top, with management boards setting clear vision, strategies and putting the resources in place to make changes that have a quantitative impact on an organization’s sustainability and CO2 footprint.

Plan then act!

But this goes beyond just internal realignment. It must also push outwards to how suppliers work with customers and how service providers, like Atos, structure their offerings for the market. Perhaps even realigning or creating new business units that actively tackle climate change.

Nearly 20 years ago, EcoAct, an international climate consultancy and project developer, launched with a simple aim: to help businesses and organizations succeed in their climate ambitions. The 250 strong team which spans Europe, the Americas and Africa has helped organizations to simplify the challenges and complexities involved in delivering sustainable business solutions for a low carbon world.

In fact, we worked with EcoAct for several years and not only are they established experts, but they are also extremely passionate about what they do. In 2020, they became part of Atos, with the aim of rapidly expanding what they have already achieved via organic growth to a wider international audience. EcoAct are just part of a massive shift that is taking place within the industry which recognizes that wanting to change is great, but having the skills, tools and data to do so is possibly one of the most difficult challenges when facing the journey to net-zero.

These changes need careful planning, but if they are well executed, they can deliver transformative results with vast benefits. And crucially, these changes can be both beneficial for the planet and businesses alike. To give just one example, consider supply chains: how do you make everything from smartphones to tractors, raw materials, components, and manufacturing capacity needs work in unison to deliver goods that are cost competitive with the right level of quality for the consumer? Many supply chains are wasteful, with elements transported needlessly across borders which often results in a high carbon footprint. Redesigning supply chains or even switching to localized production may well offer significant cost and carbon efficiencies.

Practical steps

Sometimes, the change can be as simple as how you power your supply chain. I love the example of Scottish Water, a supplier of water and sewerage services across Scotland. The company has managed to cut its annual operational carbon footprint by approximately 45 percent over the last 15 years – even while delivering higher service levels, growth in demand and improved statutory compliance. How? By investing in green technologies to power their business, including anaerobic digestion, cutting edge photo voltaic and heat from wastewater technologies. This type of forward-thinking approach should become the template for others across the water industry and other essential utilities.

Businesses also need to think about how they can help their customers in practical ways. For example, are the yearly product updates sustainable? Customers tend to lower the hardware lifecycle year by year – the collision and perhaps not aligned priority in the board rooms are part of the root cause. Shareholders want better returns, faster and wider, and yet the willingness to compromise is rare. To give another example, Atos has expanded its leasing businesses based around multiyear contracts that mean equipment is recycled or refurbished and put back into use – rather than filling up landfills to kick start another wasteful cycle of manufacturing.

Scottish Water, EcoAct and other pioneers are not alone, millions of businesses across the globe are also doing their bit to reach net-zero. Yet, we also need action on an individual level. For example, when you buy your next car why not go electric or hybrid? When you throw away rubbish, make sure you sperate and recycle ( I admit, even I have some improvement potential here). When you work with suppliers, choose those that are enacting real green policies rather than just spouting words. Support brands that are quantifiably making active changes. I would also urge you all to promote the steps you take. This last part is crucial, and we should all be proud of our participation in helping to reach net-zero. It is not boastful to want to tell everybody we can, because it will inspire our peers to act.

Cradle to Cradle (C2C), what?

When I did my online studies at the London Business School about sustainability and corporate social responsibility some months back, I learned more about the C2C idea. The C2C methodology was developed in 2001 by Michael Braungart and William McDonough and it has been used as stimulus in giving sustainability a broader purpose - especially in products, buildings and production systems.

The C2C system obviously drives sustainability to the next level, all materials in products need to be clean and reusable. C2C methodology builds on the concept that “waste = food”, meaning that what is considered waste can become material for new products. ?

I liked this model a lot, as this emphasizes a very strong correlation towards the ongoing eco system changes, where businesses also take a holistic, new and often disruptive steps – I think the two models together can make a very strong impact, not always for the shareholders benefit, but for our planet and next for the next generations.

Disruption and popularism

But let’s not kid ourselves. Decarbonization is not going to be easy. And along the way, disruptive events and technologies may help or hinder. Clean fusion, large-scale offshore wind and solar fuels are all at various stages of development and may well give us a way to accelerate our journey to net-zero, while also providing the energy that society needs to advance.

The other challenge is political. We must collectively accept that governments are likely to bring forward policies that will be unpopular, but probably vital for us to meet our climate goals. For example, the EU carbon tax set to kick in by 2026, and the ban on the sale of new diesel cars by 2035, might be unpopular with lobbyist and motorist but are probably needed to reach our aims. As citizens, we must recognize that being a popular politician or a practical one is dependent on how voters react to proposed policies. We all need to do our bit at home, at work and at the ballot box.

Also, the sports industry is undergoing massive changes, from green and sustainable clothes (such as running shoes made out of beans), towards transformed travelling behaviors. There is often a material advantage, for example using a carbon bike for cycling is much more durable – the shift is there and athletes enjoy the nature to the upmost.

?A few final words on the pandemic: while acknowledging and respecting this global tragedy, pictures of New Delhi which show before and during lock down is staggering. With massively reduced traffic and economic activity, this majestic city of 30 million people is transformed! I can highly recommend you watch on Apple TV+ the movie “The Year Earth Changed,” an uplifting wildlife documentary narrated by David Attenborough, heralding Earth Day 2021. This is a stark reminder of what will happen if we fail to act – and what is possible if we can find a way to get to net-zero… The clock is ticking!

What are some key takeaways from your own experience? Please feel free to share this article and discuss in the comments below!

Disclaimer; Content Bruno Schenk and pictures Gettyimages, licensed via Atos, Cradle2Cradel illustration from Wikipedia and "The year earth changed" from Apple