Elena Morettini, Director of Globant’s Business Sustainable Studio, explains how and why it’s necessary to raise awareness of sustainability in companies.
We could say that the defining trait of our society today is a growing activist attitude. However, this hasn’t always been the case, and certainly not for large corporations. For a long time, companies have been oblivious to the need to balance the planet’s prosperity and its resources. In a poor attempt to achieve this, many companies have fallen into what is now known as “greenwashing.”
However, although many organizations have relied on the sustainability criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda as a mere communication strategy, civil society and companies have become aware of the immediate need for action to ensure a sustainable and, above all, real balance.
“There are many innovative initiatives that bring together companies whose purpose is to build a more inclusive economy in a sustainable way. At Globant, we believe that Information Technology (IT) companies are already undergoing a mindset change. They are using the most sustainable processes and applications from an energy efficiency point of view to transform their DNA from its core, avoiding emissions tied to non-rationalized energy consumption,” explains Elena Morettini.
But this change in organizational perspective must be accompanied by process of social transformation that has already begun. We can no longer ignore sustainability. “Our goal as a society is to reduce CO2 emissions from 51 million tons to zero in the next thirty years. This goal highlights the importance of technology in creating a new organizational model that places sustainability at the center of its value chain,” says the leader.
It has become apparent that digitalization must go hand in hand with sustainability since it’s the most powerful tool we have to facilitate the change that the European Union now calls TWIN TRANSITION. It combines digitalization and sustainability, using ‘Green IT’ to drive logical and necessary progress. “At Globant, we are convinced that the gradual elimination of some industries will allow for sustainability in all dimensions of our economy, but it requires effective action.”
Tools such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and blockchain will be vital to meeting the SDGs. But we need talent that can make it happen. As reported by the European Commission in early 2021, the lack of tech talent will cause one million job vacancies. Therefore, we need to leverage the talent hidden in all universities, schools, and research centers. We can’t afford any further delay. It’s time to build a future where cooperation, sustainability, and transparency are crucial values and indicators for companies to build a better relationship with the people.
Globant’s Sustainable Business Studio provides organizations with the necessary tools and expertise to develop their climate roadmap. We help them adopt a problem-solving approach based on the 2030 Agenda to build a responsible business operation.
* Based on the original article published by El Economistaon Tuesday, February 8, 2022: “El cambio de idiosincrasia de las empresas IT será en clave sostenible” by Elena Morettini
