Software powering sustainability, SAP continues to reduce carbon footprint!

“Sustainable development is a dynamic process which enables all people to realise their potential, and to improve their quality of life, in ways which simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth’s life support systems.”

Forum for the Future Annual Report 2000

According to Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer at SAP, sustainability is a trend that is “really powered by IT”, especially as SAP provides software that supports all different enterprise areas, from supply chains and logistics to distribution and HR.

“Software is key because software can measure, optimise and improve how business is run."

“IT creates transparency. With software, you can find the areas where you can have the biggest impact [on the carbon footprint.”

SAP reduced its global carbon footprint by 15 percent last year, saving the company around €90 million. This comes as the company announced a 12 percent increase in revenues.

The reduction, from 501 kilotons of carbon in 2008 to 425 kilotons in 2009, was well ahead of the company’s annual goal of five percent less than the previous year’s emissions. SAP attributed the achievement to internal measures such as reducing the number of business flights, and the impact of the economic crisis on the business.
SAP’s long-term goal is to reduce its total carbon emissions to the level of 2000 by the year 2020.

This is no easy task, as Dr Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer at SAP, explained: “Our carbon footprint is mainly driven by the number of people in the company. In 2000, we had 24,000 employees. In 2007, we had 50,000 employees. Now, we are at about 48,000."

“We need to reduce the carbon footprint for each employee by more than 60 percent.”

Original Source: Businesszone.co.uk

SAP continue to lower their carbon footprint

Companies are increasingly making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, some more proactively than others in order to reduce their contribution to global climate change.

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

SAP has reduced its worldwide CO2 emissions from 120 kilotons to 115 kilotons since Q
2.This is quite an achievement considering the surge in the business travel in light of the economic recovery. It comes down to their efforts to reduce their energy consumption supported by increased levels of renewable electricity being purchased by them. Renewable electricity now accounts for 50% of their global electricity usage.

The objective for 2010 is to stay below 460 kilotons and achieve this they will need to continue to compensate for travel needs.

Last year SAP announced their aggressive commitment to reduce its total carbon emissions to the year 200 emissions level of approximately 274 kilotons by the year 2020. This represents an overall reduction of about half compared to the company’s year-2007 peak levels of 540 kilotons.

To help reach this goal, SAP is using the SAP® Carbon Impact OnDemand solution to access and analyze emissions data across its entire operations and evaluate its carbon footprint reduction efforts. SAP identified several key areas for implementing carbon-efficient operations, including travel, data centers, buildings and commitment to renewable energy.

Detailed emissions data are available to the public in the SAP sustainability report and are updated quarterly.