Successive lockdowns and the slowdown of the world economy over the last 18 months put a sharp focus on global and corporate sustainability. We marveled as skies cleared, commuter traffic waned, and wildlife thrived in previously out-of-bounds urban areas. We worried about the environmental impact of masks littering our streets and the return to disposable coffee cups. And, prompted by the shutdown of many of our favorite stores, we reconsidered our appetite for fast fashion and the next retail hit.
Sustainability in business is critical for brand survival as consumers want brands who share their values. For small and midsize businesses - which have no margin for error - it’s especially critical.
The desire to reduce waste across supply chains and enter a circular economy was already driving many organizations to embed sustainability in their mainstream business. But the pandemic saw the emergence of an interconnected world in which people, relationships, and resources come together to solve the world’s greatest challenges.
And in this new world, sustainable, intelligent enterprises are seeking to not only meet compliance requirements and find new efficiencies, but also to create new business models for long-term growth and focus on corporate sustainability. They understand that in doing this, they can:
Many sessions across this year’s SAPPHIRE NOW conference touched on these topics and how sustainability is a business imperative for many.
Call it traction. Call it swing. Call it group think. Whatever you call it, Twitter was talking about the best brands in 2020 leading the way when it comes to CX.
As Christian made clear in the global keynote, SAP’s purpose is to help the world run better and improve people’s lives with sustainability at the core. We want to create a positive economic, environmental, and social impact worldwide. We bring this objective to life by providing products and services that meet the sustainability challenges and opportunities of our customers and leading by example in our own sustainable business operations and practices.
Sustainability and fashion appear to be on opposing catwalks destined for collision. Fashion is a $2.5 trillion industry, producing 10% of global carbon emissions, 20% of global wastewater, and vast biodiversity loss. Consumers are demanding change, forcing sustainability in fashion as a requirement, not a trend.
Get inspired by our SAPPHIRE NOW global keynote, The Enterprise in an Age of Networks, and learn about our vision to act now on corporate sustainability with the goal of zero waste, zero emissions, and zero inequality. Listen to thought leaders who explore the innovations your business can use today to become more resilient, sustainable, and intelligent. Hear about SAP solutions like the SAP Product Footprint Management and SAP Responsible Design and Production solutions and watch a demo of the GreenToken by SAP solution, which traces the most complex material flow across the supply chain.
View a recording of our Spotlight on Sustainability session to learn how you can embed sustainability into the core of your business by accessing environmental insights across end-to-end business processes. During the session, Kwena Mabotja, SAP’s global director, purpose and sustainability marketing, and Vivek Bapat, SAP’s senior vice president, purpose and sustainability marketing, talked about how you can reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste across business networks, and foster socially equitable business practices across value chains.
SAP is chasing zero with the world’s biggest business network, and innovations to drive digital transformation, sustainability, and equality.
Or take a look at the session Embark on Your Sustainability Journey with Measured Outcomes to learn how SAP technology makes a difference in supply chains, emissions management, and workforce practices. Hear how you can make renewables, sustainability, and the environment top priorities while continuing to succeed as a business. During the session, Bumble Bee Foods and lead producer and battery recycler Ecobat revealed how they measure outcomes for sustainability and which SAP solutions can help.
