IT-Sustainability

Sustainability becomes a top theme on this year’s corporate and CIO agenda. However, there’s often a lack of experience in concretizing and implementing it – hence, kobaltblau Management Consultants introduces the new focus area “IT-Sustainability” at the beginning of 2023. The core objectives: to integrate IT and sustainability, considering ESG criteria (Environmental-Social-Governance), and thereby create sustainable value for the business.

With the establishment of the new Development Center “IT Sustainability,” kobaltblau adds another competence field to its consulting portfolio starting from January 2023, aiming to demonstrate and operationalize the leverage of IT in the context of sustainability (directly and indirectly).

“Sustainable action in the context of IT means taking a holistic view of IT and considering its effects in, with, and through information technology. Data shape a digital nervous system, and those who master them can also use them for sustainability purposes, optimizing the footprint beyond IT and acting as a catalyst for digitization,” says Michaela Lackner, Senior Manager at kobaltblau and responsible for the new Development Center.

kobaltblau’s offering includes various elements tailored to the specific needs of clients, depending on their objectives and individual starting points. Specifically, a format is offered that provides companies, especially IT, with a basic understanding of the topic and its urgency, as well as deriving a rough baseline and actions. If the core parameters are already known, it is worthwhile to jointly develop a sustainability strategy (e.g., avoidance and promotion strategy) with kobaltblau, to develop metrics, and establish reporting. The consulting services also include a detailed assessment of the current state, in the so-called IT-Sustainability Health Check, formulation of the roadmap, and derivation of corresponding action measures. In close collaboration with in-house specialist teams, such as the digitalization division, kobaltblau is able to accompany clients end-to-end and drive the implementation of all measures and transformation forward.

With an eye on the EU decision for the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a first cornerstone has been laid for demonstrating the ESG engagement of companies, which is expected to lead to the development of further norms and standards. In this regard, kobaltblau stands by companies as a sparring partner and driver of change and accompanies sustainable transformations – also beyond the IT sector.

“Responsible corporate governance, environmental awareness, and social aspects are more than just passing trends for us. With the new focus, our management consultancy supports IT in sustainable change and in making the added value for the business visible, as a role model in the market,” Michaela Lackner summarizes.