COVID-19 has created challenges that were previously unimaginable, but it has also given us an incredible opportunity to reinvent and rebuild ourselves. In my last blog post we saw how digitalisation and decarbonisation will go hand in hand as catalysts for change in the coming years.
Technology companies are fully aware of the importance of ESG and we are a key player in the environmental value chain, both as a source of emissions and as a key enabler of efficiencies through the different services and solutions we offer to our customers.
Telefónica Tech has extensive experience helping our customers improve their performance by helping them build responsible businesses, including sustainability by design. Our portfolio of decarbonisation solutions is already delivering tangible results for our customers. Our cloud-based services coupled with cybersecurity allows:
- Eliminating of multiple local servers that are inefficient in terms of energy consumption.
- Increased server utilisation rates in shared infrastructures.
- Obtaining the best value, performance and security of the infrastructure.
- Using modern leading-edge infrastructure, which reduces energy loss through better cooling and air conditioning.
- Reducing wasted computing resources through dynamic provisioning allocation.
- Enabling remote collaboration, flexible working practices and therefore reduce commuting.
Telefónica Tech’s cloud services are based on highly efficient data centres that help customers reduce their energy consumption, avoiding CO2 emissions and therefore contributing to fighting climate change. Throughout the pandemic, it has been proven that reducing commuting, as a result of hybrid or remote working, can prevent around 1.4 tonnes of CO2 per person per year from being released into the atmosphere. On the other hand, according to a study carried out by the consulting firm Accenture, migration to the public cloud reduces the carbon footprint by 60 million tonnes per year, reducing IT emissions by almost 6%.
Telefónica Tech, through our IoT, Big Data, AI and Blockchain services, helps our customers optimise their business by making data-driven decisions that minimise environmental impact. For example, we offer end-to-end solutions for energy efficiency, smart water and gas management, and smart production solutions for agricultural and livestock environments. These types of solutions are already making a real difference in terms of sustainability for our customers. As a result, we have seen water telemetry reduce water leakage by 35%, reduce operating and maintenance costs by 20% and improve customer satisfaction rates by up to 60%.
Thanks to our collaboration with Vertical Green we have managed to reduce water consumption by 95% for clients such as Onubafruit; at the same time, we have increased the production of organic vegetables by 40%. At Tendam, thanks to the implementation of Telefónica Tech’s energy efficiency solution in 36 of its establishments, we achieved a saving of more than 15% in energy consumption in the shops.
On the other hand, thanks to smart waste management through our mobility management solutions (fleet management, asset tracking, etc.), we managed to reduce fuel consumption by around 10-15%, thus optimising waste collection routes and generating a positive impact on the environment. As part of our collaboration with Ecoembes, we have set up smart yellow bins, an accessible and sustainable technology for public administrations to facilitate recycling and thus support the circular economy.
These are just a few examples of how digital transformation can contribute to a positive impact on society and the sustainability of the planet. There is certainly a growing opportunity for a new economy that puts innovation and respect for the environment at its core. Telefónica Tech therefore wants to support its customers in their journey towards a green digital transformation.
