Climate Week Highlights: How Data and Tech Drive Corporate Sustainability

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Welcome to a special edition of the Climate Confident Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Jim Sullivan, Global Head of Product Management for Sustainability at SAP. With three decades of experience in sustainability and climate change—including roles at the EPA and in startups—Jim offers deep insights into the evolving corporate approach to climate action.

We delve into the key takeaways from this year's Climate Week in New York. Jim highlights how the event has grown beyond climate discussions to encompass material transitions like the circular economy and hard-to-abate sectors such as aluminium and steel. He shares encouraging progress, noting that members of the CEO Climate Action Alliance have achieved a 10% absolute reduction in emissions over three years, even as their businesses have grown.

A central theme of our conversation is the pivotal role of data and technology in accelerating sustainability initiatives. Jim explains that much of the necessary data for sustainability reporting already exists within companies but isn't effectively utilised. We explore how AI can act as a valuable colleague, handling tedious tasks like emissions factor mapping and freeing up human resources for strategic decision-making.

We also discuss the importance of standardising data exchange to ensure consistent and comparable sustainability reporting. Jim emphasises that agreeing on standards is crucial for making meaningful progress and avoiding the pitfalls of fragmented efforts.

Finally, we touch on the evolving role of the Chief Sustainability Officer and how sustainability is increasingly integrated into financial and operational planning. Jim offers advice to business leaders hesitant about committing to sustainability initiatives, stressing that while the best time to invest was a decade ago, the second-best time is now.

I hope you'll find this episode insightful as we explore how technology, data, and collaborative efforts can drive meaningful progress in the fight against climate change.
Check out SAP's Sustainability page for more.

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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper