SAP Philippines, a global leader in business intelligence and a leader in sustainable business practices, gathered key industry leaders recently to discuss sustainability in the information technology industry.
Dr. Corazon Claudio, president of Earth Institute Asia Inc., and Ramnath Anantharam, principal solution adviser, tackled the growing need to share best practices in business sustainability.
“Our definition of sustainability is the holistic management of social, environmental, and economic risks and opportunities for increased short- and long-term profitability,” said Jennie Ligones, SAP Philippines country manager.
“In a better run world, IT drives opportunity for everyone, market leaders become sustainability leaders, and better run companies operate profitably and sustainably,” Ligones said.
Anantharam said SAP’s policy of reducing carbon emissions by 50 percent has resulted in significant savings since its implementation.
SAP reported a 4 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 from 2009. It cited energy efficiency projects, changes on employees’ commuting behavior and continued purchase of renewable energy as major factors in 2010 greenhouse gas savings.
SAP committed in 2009 to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions back to the levels of 2000 by 2020. This is similar to lowering emissions by about 50 percent from 2007 levels.
In 2010, SAP began releasing reports to its greenhouse gas emissions on a quarterly basis and continued in 2011 in line with its financial earnings cycles.
Claudio, an expert in sustainability, shared her knowledge in helping companies lessen their “carbon footprints.”
Claudio, who is also a technologist, environmentalist, and social entrepreneur, has actively set up new organizations and programs on environment and sustainable development.
