16% of Indian organisations have prioritised sustainability goals: Study

At a time when climate related risks are posing a challenge to businesses, 86% of organisations in India recognise the significance of sustainability in shaping business strategies, but only 16% have prioritised sustainability goals and built them on real facts and data, according to a study by IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl and Microsoft.

Amidst a surge in climate-related events and challenges globally, there is a heightened focus on environmental sustainability and leveraging technology as a key enabler of sustainable solutions in India.

While 68% of the survey respondents see technology playing a significant role in helping them achieve their goals, only 34% believe they are making full use of it in their organisation. Additionally, customers have emerged as the most influential stakeholders advocating for sustainability (60%), followed by employees (52%) and supply chain partners (40%).

The Asia Pacific edition of the Global Sustainability Barometer study by Kyndryl released Tuesday was conducted among 1,523 technology and sustainability business leaders across 16 countries in Asia, EMEA, and the Americas. The survey was conducted between September and October 2023 across nine industries and included small, medium, and global companies.

“Organisations are at diverse levels of sustainability maturity. Visionary companies are harnessing technology to meet regulatory standards and pursue sustainability objectives effectively. They are leveraging technology to fulfil customer expectations, reduce expenses, and innovate, thereby unlocking the full potential of sustainability,” said Faith Taylor, Chief Sustainability and ESG Officer, Kyndryl.

AI emerges as a game changer, as organisations can elevate their decision-making processes with refined data-driven insights, mitigate risks, optimise resource allocation, and bolster their overall sustainability efforts with the incorporation of predictive AI into sustainability strategies.

Data collection and analytics remain a stumbling block for many entities.

“However, accessing data still poses a significant challenge. Over 50% of organisations find their sustainability goals hindered by the difficulty in pinpointing relevant data and integrating all necessary information for environmentally conscious decision-making. This underscores the potential to establish a robust data infrastructure capable of powering predictive analytics for sustainable planning and resource management,” it added.