Sustainability is about adopting new behaviors, practices, and ways of living that will better support our planet’s health. There is much talk about how technological innovation will shape sustainability. But no brand or technology will build credibility in the marketplace unless it is true. They will just get lost in green noise.
This is precisely why Orange Business has built digital equality and environmental responsibility into our Engage 2025 strategic plan. We are committed to a greener planet and inclusion so that every person can benefit from the digital revolution. As a company, we are on track to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
We must change or face the consequences
Covid-19 caused the most significant absolute drop in emissions ever recorded and the largest relative fall since the second world war. It would be nice to say it is sustainable. But we all know that lockdowns and remote working got us to this figure. Many global economies are rebounding very quickly to pre-Covid emissions figures, and our planet is already suffering as a result.
In his new book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Gates details the transformation necessary to eliminate 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases and achieve net carbon zero emissions by 2050. He calls for using more renewables and far fewer fossil fuels. As you would expect, new technologies are pivotal to his vision. “Show me a problem and I’ll look for a technology to fix it,” he says.
Gates isn’t the only one. Sustainability is now at the top of every tech companies’ agenda. This is no surprise given that the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report has raised a giant red flag. Climate change is the biggest long-term risk we all now face. “Climate change is striking harder and more rapidly than many expected,” the report says.
Sustainability is in the Orange genetic code
We are actively working with our customers to create a more sustainable future. Part of my remit is to show exactly how we contribute to sustainability in terms of innovation and technologies that better manage our limited resources. We can demonstrate how real business challenges can have successful green business outcomes.
Nova Veolia and its subsidiary Birdz have chosen Orange to digitize Veolia’s remote water reading services in France, for example. Its goal is to read more than 70% of its meters remotely by 2027. The project uses the Orange LoRa network, which connects over three million intelligent water meters. The meters will help local communities, manufacturers and other entities reduce their energy bills and their impact on the environment.
On the renewable energy front, Orange has teamed up with ENGIE, a leading developer of solar and wind power in France to deliver a global renewable energy supply solution. It illustrates our desire to be seen as a major force in the energy transition.
In the key farming sector, Orange has been working closely with Dacom, seen as the world’s number one provider in agricultural yield management systems. The Orange M2M communications infrastructure enables Dacom to provide farmers with a telematics platform for profitable, sustainable, and smart agriculture projects across the world.
Towards a greener world
I agree with Bill Gates when he says that we somehow have to get to zero greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate disaster while maintaining digital momentum and closing the digital divide.
It is a big ask, but it is achievable. We need to make better use of the natural elements we have, such as solar and wind, using innovative technologies. This will take time. But the more marketing can educate, explain, and attract industries to smart, sustainable technologies, the nearer we will get to that zero-greenhouse gas emissions goal and the healthier our planet will be.
#sustainability #CSR #energy
Juliet Walker is the Head of Marketing for the International Business Division of Orange Business, driving growth and profitability for businesses around the world. She joined from the Globecast subsidiary where she was the Chief Marketing Officer. Juliet has a degree and PhD from the University of Cambridge and enjoys hiking and cycling with her family and a little bit of gardening in her spare time.