Help us create a more sustainable future

Help us create a more sustainable future

We’re constantly reminded that our choices define us.

The house we live in.

How we commute.

The stuff we buy (or don’t).

The work we do.

But we hardly ever stop to think about the impact our choices have on the world around us—the environment, people and our communities.

Here at Accenture, we get it. 

We understand the importance of sustainability and how it shapes not only our lives but also the lives of future generations. That's why we embed sustainability into everything we do and everyone we work with.

We invite you to join us on this journey.

Technology as an enabler of sustainability

From accelerating net zero transitions to building more sustainable value chains, technology is a vital enabler of sustainability. It's crucial for organizations to identify the right technologies that will help achieve sustainability goals. 

But here's the catch: We must also address the environmental and social impacts of technology itself. 

Take generative AI (GenAI) applications, for example. They have captured the public’s imagination like no other in recent history. GenAI has huge potential to drive the ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals of businesses by improving climate action, driving responsible production and protecting sensitive data. 

But did you know that developing, training and operating GenAI can use a tremendous amount of energy and create a significant carbon footprint? The greening of GenAI is the next frontier to retain the huge positive impact it can have in driving the broader sustainability agenda. We have a few ideas how. 

Helping businesses get more sustainable

Our people are passionate about making an impact by also helping other businesses deliver sustainable products and services. Take, for instance, the work we did with a leading real estate company in creating smart, sustainable buildings. JCI collaborated with Accenture to enhance building intelligence and accelerate decarbonization with solutions built around the Internet of Things (IoT).

JCI also created a smart building platform built on Microsoft Azure called OpenBlue, that uses IoT technology to connect data from independent building systems (like climate control, lighting, fire, life safety and security) into a core “digital brain”—and then applies machine learning (ML) to enable the micro-management of real-time building performance at scale. For example, with better data and monitoring abilities, buildings can automatically adjust air flow based on the number of occupants, cutting energy costs and emissions.

Don’t forget the “S”

Poverty. Inequality. Unemployment. Lack of access to clean air and water. The refugee crisis. 

These are just a few pressing societal challenges we face today. The term “Sustainability” is often used synonymously with environmental issues. But let’s not forget that social sustainability is important, too.  

In fact, the issues at the heart of the social agenda are so complex that it’s difficult to make an impact with isolated action. Companies achieve greater progress by collaborating with NGOs and international development implementers. We find these partnerships invaluable in advancing and measuring social sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) overall.  

Two decades of sustainable change 

With Accenture Development Partnerships, we’ve been demonstrating our deep commitment to social, economical and environmental change over the past two decades. So far, we’ve completed more than 1,900 engagements in nearly 100 countries across critical areas such as global health and nutrition, gender, inclusion and diversity, livelihoods and education, inclusive finance, humanitarian and refugees, agriculture, energy, climate and environment. 

“Humans have an exceptional ability to innovate and we can all influence sustainable change. Communities and systems working in sync will create lasting impact,” says Kyrin Pollock, one of the winners of the Accenture Sustainability Innovation Challenge 2022 and a member of the Accenture Development Partnerships team. One of her projects is in partnership with The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST), an existing program where farmers improve their abilities to adapt to and mitigate shocks caused by climate change. Farmers do so by improving the biodiversity of their local ecosystems, accessing educational resources and planting trees. 

Kyrin’s winning proposal helps expand and enhance the TIST program with the use of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) tools that can be used to measure tree growth/carbon removals and feed into a robust database that is transparent, accurate and auditable.  

Through the combination of human ingenuity and technology we’re making sustainability a force for change.  

Join our talented ensemble of thinkers and doers to help build a more sustainable world. Your passion and skills can make a difference.