In 2026, that distinction is becoming increasingly blurry.聽Extreme heat, water scarcity, flooding, wildfires, and energy volatility are affecting cost structures, disrupting supply chains, and constraining labor productivity and capital planning. These factors increasingly show up in routine operational and financial decisions and interact with broader economic dynamics. Climate impacts intersect with聽geopolitical competition, supply-side volatility, and regional fragmentation.聽At the same time, the transition to a low-carbon economy continues to progress unevenly across markets, with carbon increasingly subject to pricing, regulation, and disclosure expectations.

Together, physical climate impacts and transition pressures are influencing how companies plan, invest, and聽operate. Many organizations are approaching adaptation and mitigation as an integrated business capability, on par with聽financial management,聽supply chain聽planning,聽or cybersecurity.

Why adaptation and mitigation demand sustained leadership attention

聽projects that physical climate risks could more than triple corporate financial exposure by 2050, driven by asset damage, supply disruptions, and productivity losses. Despite this growing聽exposure,聽however, fewer than one in five companies have implemented adaptation measures at scale.

This widening gap between risk and readiness has profound implications for CEOs and聽boards, who聽recognize this threat. A聽聽found that business leaders聽identified聽extreme weather events as the greatest long-term business risk, with cascading effects across economic stability, supply chains, and social cohesion.聽Climate risk is now:

• Financial, affecting margins, asset values, insurance availability, and cost of capital
• Operational, disrupting production,聽logistics, and workforce availability
• Strategic, influencing where companies invest, source, and grow
• Reputational, shaping trust with investors, customers, regulators, and employees

For many leadership teams, climate adaptation and mitigation have become part of the broader challenge of enterprise readiness.聽In some cases, they are also influencing access to capital, insurance terms, talent聽attraction,聽and long-term market positioning.

Going beyond the contingency mindset

A common constraint on progress is how climate adaptation is still framed inside organizations.

When it is treated primarily as contingency planning, it tends to be reactive and episodic. Plans are developed, documented, and revisited only after disruption occurs, while ownership is often spread across risk, sustainability,聽operations,聽and finance teams with limited integration into core decision-making.

A capability-based approach works differently. Business capabilities are embedded and聽inform聽everyday decisions, supported by data, systems, governance, and incentives.

Climate capability聽emerges聽when organizations integrate climate risk, resilience, and carbon considerations into the core of how the enterprise runs.

The four pillars of climate capability

1. Supply chains designed for disruption

Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to climate volatility and regulatory pressure. Highly optimized, linear supply chains designed primarily for cost efficiency have shown limitations under these conditions. Many organizations are adjusting value chains to improve resilience and address emissions. Supplier diversification, regionalization, circular material flows, and better data sharing can reduce exposure to physical disruption and, in many cases, lower Scope 3 emissions. In practice, efforts to improve decarbonization and resilience often reinforce one another.

What this requires is more reliable,聽timely聽data across supply chains, so that COOs are empowered to turn insights into meaningful outcomes.

2. Assets and infrastructure built for a changing climate

Facilities, equipment, and聽logistics聽networks are increasingly exposed to chronic stresses, such as heat and water scarcity as well as acute events like flooding. At the same time, carbon-intensive assets face growing transition risk as energy systems and regulations evolve.

A capability-based approach evaluates assets through a dual lens: physical climate exposure and carbon intensity. This informs where companies聽locate聽facilities, how they聽maintain聽them, and when they invest in retrofits, electrification, or renewable energy.

Investments in energy efficiency and clean energy can reduce emissions while also moderating exposure to energy price volatility and supply disruptions.

3. Workforce resilience as a business priority

Climate impacts are also affecting people. Rising temperatures and extreme weather are already reducing labor productivity and increasing health and safety risks in many roles and regions.

聽estimates聽that heat stress alone could result in the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs lost globally by 2030 under a 1.5掳C warming scenario. Organizations that treat workforce resilience as a core business issue are adjusting schedules, working conditions, training, and safety protocols, protecting people while maintaining productivity.

4. Financial decision-making informed by climate reality

Despite growing awareness, climate data is often still disconnected from financial planning and analysis.聽聽that while聽67% of companies聽identify聽climate-related risks with potential聽financial impact, only a fraction can quantify those risks with enough precision to guide investment decisions.

A capability-based approach incorporates carbon and climate risk into financial models. This allows leaders to assess physical risk, transition risk, and return on investment together, turning climate action into a disciplined, value-driven decision process.聽, like聽听补苍诲听, can empower organizations to drive actionable climate strategies and unlock measurable impact by helping them integrate sustainability into core business processes through the combination of trusted financial data and granular carbon insights.

A C-suite framework for climate capability in 2026

Across industries, five leadership actions will define those organizations building true climate capability:

1. Embed climate and carbon assumptions into core business planning and governance.
2. Redesign value chains for resilience and emissions reduction.
3. Protect assets and people with predictive, forward-looking insight.
4. Align mitigation and adaptation with financial strategy.
5. Measure resilience and emissions together, not in isolation.

Together, these actions help shift climate efforts from parallel initiatives into a managed enterprise capability, one that聽determines聽operational continuity, financial resilience, and long-term competitiveness.

聽about how you can build a more compliant, sustainable, and resilient business with 麻豆原创 Sustainability solutions.

Sophia Mendelsohn is chief sustainability and commercial officer at 麻豆原创.

麻豆原创 is also committed to finding solutions to climate change and working across generations to make it happen. As the world鈥檚 largest provider of enterprise application software, 麻豆原创 plays a complementary role to organizations like UNICEF. With a unique ability to help the world鈥檚 largest companies achieve more across their value chains and drive sustainability at their core, there is enormous potential to use 麻豆原创 technology for good. Coupled with its , there is also a long-standing commitment to accelerate solutions by connecting corporate financial and nonfinancial resources with the .

Air pollution is a complicating factor of climate change. On , the world looks at this issue that is not locked within borders, making it difficult to address. It warms the global climate, exacerbating natural disasters and risking the health of millions of underserved people living in vulnerable areas.

In Mongolia, air pollution is particularly problematic as the country deals with rapid urbanization and a harsh climate. The country has a strong reliance on burning coal because it is inexpensive and readily available. Coal represents 90% of the energy used and is a huge economic export, creating jobs and wealth in a high-need country. Even though coal was banned in Mongolia鈥檚 capital city in 2019, coal use has led to enormous levels of smog and mounting for thousands of citizens. In a country known as the 鈥淟and of the Eternal Blue Sky,鈥� local youth like are not willing to accept this reality.

Enkhuun was just 17 when she co-founded , an organization leveraging data and technology as a differentiator in solving pollution. With family members affected, she had deeply personal reasons to create tangible action. She quickly understood the value of leveraging technology to scale solutions to the masses and built a centralized source of air quality data for Mongolian communities. 鈥淭hese are all tech-based tools that we use to reach more audiences and more people than we could otherwise,鈥� she said. Today, with information available in English and Mongolian, Breathe Mongolia has become a go-to source for air quality data in the region.

With on the horizon, taking place during the annual , 麻豆原创 will step forward to represent the value of working with young innovators like Enkhuun with GenU. GenU was founded in 2018 as part of UNICEF aiming to equip youth with the necessary skills and resources to participate in key conversations around pressing global issues.

When given the opportunity, youth bring an impressive passion for creating impact, coupled with a , that allows decision-makers to channel new solutions. Breathe Mongolia is one of the millions of impact organizations operating globally and putting people and planet first. 麻豆原创 wants to ensure its success and that of the more than operating globally, many led by young people. Together with leading youth social impact partners like , , and (WAFF), 麻豆原创 is hoping to close the opportunity gap and ensure that youth have the resources they need to innovate and fulfill their potential. This commitment for youth inclusion extends beyond Climate Week and UNGA. Throughout the year, 麻豆原创 and its leadership team lead by example, involving expert young leaders in the company鈥檚 innovation strategy and sustainability programs, opening doors that provide them with a seat at the table.

Whether you are attending Climate Week or participating virtually from home, every sector and individual has a role to play to combat issues like climate change. To better understand the challenges that youth face and the potential to incorporate youth voices in challenging projects, leverage The Possibilists on young changemakers and WAFF鈥檚 on intergenerational collaboration.

If you are a young climate innovator based in North America or Sub-Saharan Africa, we also encourage you to check out resource support through .

Selina Henn is a strategy and operations associate for Corporate Social Responsibility at 麻豆原创.

These are not just numbers: futures are at stake, particularly for young people whose education and opportunities are being disrupted right before our eyes. This stark reality drives home the need for inclusive and equitable strategies in our climate action plans.

Youth are at the frontline of these environmental challenges. Their futures depend on how effectively we can address the impacts of climate change. It is a call to action for all of us across various sectors to unite and empower the voices of these young people, harnessing their potential to create innovative solutions.

At 麻豆原创, we’ve embraced a four-pronged approach specifically designed to support and empower youth in their journey to a sustainable and just world: rally, represent, reskill, and resource.

Sharing these insights at the during COP28, where education is a focal point, reminds me of the critical need to intertwine education funding with our climate goals, addressing the immediate and future climate challenges.

At the core of our mission for climate justice is rallying the energy and passion of the younger generation. I sincerely believe that climate action among young people is a key component of climate justice, and we need to promote that in various ways.

That is why we support Green Rising, an initiative led by UNICEF and Generation Unlimited along with partners that supports children and youth-led grassroots climate action for a faster and fairer transition to a low-carbon economy. The aim is to directly engage 10 million youth, particularly girls, to take action by 2025 through volunteering, green skills, jobs, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Our 2023 collaboration with Goodwall and Accenture has already launched digital challenges like #ClimateAction, #DigitalCleanUp, and #GoingZero with 15,000 active youth participants.

However, I鈥檓 keenly aware that passion alone is not enough. The journey from raising awareness to finding real change requires more than just enthusiasm; it demands skill and knowledge. This realization bridges us to the next critical phase of our mission.

Green Rising also recognizes the importance of equipping youth with the tools they need to make a lasting impact.

The reskilling effort at the heart of Green Rising is about transforming energy and concern into potent, informed action. As we confront the reality of “eco-anxiety” affecting 57% of global youth, we understand that empowerment comes from giving these young minds the ability to turn their worries into wisdom and their fears into a force for good. By fostering climate literacy and developing green skills, we are not just creating activists; we’re nurturing future leaders, problem solvers, and innovators who will shape a sustainable world in areas like biodiversity, air quality, water conservation, and waste management.

I’m fortunate to see how our dedication to reskilling is making a real impact. We are charting a clear course in initiating and nurturing programs that significantly boost young people’s employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.

For instance, through accessible online resources like open.sap.com, learning.sap.com, and collaborations with our colleagues from 麻豆原创 University Alliances, we are empowering individuals with the necessary insights to contribute positively to climate action. Efforts extend globally. With UNICEF鈥檚 Generation Unlimited, we have empowered more than 7.6 million young people in India, Turkey, and Vietnam with vital digital and life skills.

Looking ahead, Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), co-created with young people from the continent, will reach 1 million youths in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and the Philippines by 2025, offering opportunities for learning and reskilling. Additionally, the 麻豆原创 Educate to Employ initiative is shaping future careers, training 100 young talents in each pilot country annually, with 25 stepping into internships or roles within the 麻豆原创 ecosystem.

These are steps toward nurturing a generation ready to lead the charge in sustainability and innovation.

In my experience attending conferences, I have often noticed a missing crucial element: the direct input of the young people we’re talking about. It is one thing to teach and upskill them with the crucial knowledge, but it’s another to truly empower them to be part of the conversation. It is about going beyond just training and providing youth with real platforms to contribute their fresh skills and innovative ideas to the global climate conversation.

This is what drives our approach to representation, with long-time partners and organizations such as We Are Family Foundation and ChangemakerXChange in programs like Youth To The Table.

I truly believe that this is the real game-changer. Ultimately, it is something quite simple yet often overlooked: genuinely including young people in the conversations and decision-making that shape their future.

This approach is encapsulated in the phrase “Nothing about us without us.” It’s about flipping the script, moving from merely discussing climate issues about young people to actively collaborating with them. They are not just on the sidelines, they are in the room where decisions are made.

For instance, we are bringing 50 young leaders from across the globe to the COP28 conference to get their innovative opinions and learn from their solutions. We have done it in the past and will continue in the future at global forums like the World Economic Forum and the United Nations General Assembly. Watching young leaders confidently take the stage and influence global conversations is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do — it’s about empowering them to shape the world they will live in.

A mere 0.76% of grants from major climate foundations currently support youth-led climate initiatives. This means while rallying, reskilling, and giving them a voice is crucial, it is not enough. To combat climate change, we must funnel more resources toward the projects and innovations led by youth, especially in the most affected communities. This means not just talking about, but investing in their ideas through project grants, mentorship programs like Climate Hacks, and corporate pro-bono consulting programs that connect experts with social and climate enterprises to amplify their impact and turn youthful enthusiasm and innovation into tangible, world-changing solutions.

As I reflect, I’m reminded of the unique and impactful role corporations can play in driving long-term social change. Leading these efforts at 麻豆原创 has been a responsibility and a privilege, offering a front-row seat to the transformative power of education.

Seeing young people full of potential and eagerness to make a difference has been a constant reminder of why our work matters. Every digital challenge we launch, every skill we teach, and every voice we amplify is not just a tick on a corporate checklist. It’s about lighting up a path for these young leaders who will one day take the reins in creating a sustainable and just world.

The conversations I have, the stories I hear, and the evident enthusiasm and determination among youth leave a lasting impression on me. They remind me that our commitment to empowering young people goes beyond the boardrooms and conferences. It is a reminder of the potential for corporations to contribute meaningfully to a sustainable, equitable, and bright future for all. It鈥檚 about nurturing a future we all share.

Alexandra van der Ploeg is head of Global Corporate Social Responsibility at 麻豆原创.

Up until now, nearly 1,800 companies, including 麻豆原创, have committed to becoming net zero across their value chains. These commitments aim to achieve an emissions state consistent with societal climate and sustainability goals and within the biophysical boundaries of the planet. At the beginning of 2022, 麻豆原创 committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. The United Nations鈥� Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines net zero as that point when 鈥渁nthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period.鈥� The Paris Agreement sets out the need to achieve this balance by 2050.

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A company鈥檚 net-zero emissions target is a climate action target in which a company aims to reduce its emissions to zero, on a net basis. The term 鈥渘et鈥� comes from the view that most companies will not be able to operate without emitting at least some greenhouse gases, so they will need to remove their unavoidable residual emissions from the atmosphere to get to net zero.

Getting to net zero is not easy or straightforward. Questions remain on how companies develop their net-zero emissions targets and ensure their decarbonization strategies track to ambitious pathways. Challenges exist, such as inconsistently defined net-zero targets, what emission sources and activities should be included, timelines to achieve the goals, and how companies plan to achieve their target.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is one of the leading global initiatives that helps companies set ambitious emission reduction targets and credible decarbonization strategies. The SBTi鈥檚 Corporate Net-Zero Standard is the world鈥檚 first framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science. It includes the guidance, criteria, and recommendations companies need to set science-based net-zero targets consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

The scope of science-based targets for net zero is broad, encompassing all relevant greenhouse gas emissions across a company’s value chain, including direct emissions from operations (Scope 1), emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2), and indirect emissions from upstream and downstream sources such as business travel, employee commuting, purchased goods and services, or products in use (Scope 3).

This SBTi framework includes a set of criteria that companies must meet to ensure that their targets are scientifically robust and credible. These criteria include:

• Complete an emission inventory following the GHG Protocol.
• Set near- and long-term science-based targets to reduce value chain emissions.
• Implement a strategy to achieve science-based targets.
• Disclose target progress annually.

To claim to have reached net zero, companies must neutralize the impact of emissions that remain unabated in the long-term net-zero target year. Examples of such counterbalancing activities include purchasing carbon credits that support programs that prevent deforestation or support reforestation or investing in carbon-dioxide removal (CDR) technologies such as direct air capture (DAC) with permanent geological carbon storage. The SBTi allows a maximum of 10% removals for a long-term net-zero target and does not allow the traditional use of offsets anymore, except to achieve short-term targets as an interim transition step. Consequently, the Net-Zero Standards expects companies to radically reduce emissions by 90% by no later than 2050.

To set a science-based target for net-zero, a company must first conduct a detailed assessment of its greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, including identifying emissions sources and determining the extent of its emissions across its value chain. Based on this assessment, the company can set an ambitious, measurable emissions reduction target consistent with the Paris Agreement’s goals and aligned with the best available science. Beyond the assessment, companies then need to set ambitious targets and actionable strategies, both near- and long-term to reduce value chain emissions.

鈥淲e are currently assessing our net-zero reduction pathway and corresponding reduction strategies across a number of areas of the 麻豆原创 business to meet the demanding requirements of the SBTi,鈥� said Lilli-Jane Popp, sustainability specialist at 麻豆原创. 鈥淲e want to continually use the highest standards and use the latest science in setting targets and developing our plans to achieve net zero by 2030.鈥�

Scope 3 emissions are challenging to reduce yet they are where most emissions occur in a company鈥檚 value chain. They are the indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur outside of operations, like emissions produced by suppliers and customers when using the company鈥檚 products. These emissions are considered difficult to account for because they depend on a complex network of suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders. Accounting for Scope 3 emissions requires a deep understanding of a company’s value chain, a commitment to collecting and analyzing data, and collaboration with suppliers and other stakeholders.

Delivering and disclosing progress on their decarbonization targets helps companies reduce their environmental impact, improve their reputation and brand value, and attract environmentally conscious consumers and investors. Also, by setting science-based targets, companies can ensure that they are prepared for the transition to a low-carbon economy and avoid the risks associated with climate change, such as regulatory changes, reputational damage, and physical impacts.

However, achieving net-zero targets to limit global warming to 1.5掳C will require significant effort and investments from companies and strong collaboration across sectors. But it is essential for ensuring a sustainable and livable future. According to the latest IPCC report, we have already reached 1.1掳C of warming above pre-industrial levels. We are living in a decisive decade for climate action with our planet warming at an unprecedented pace. Companies must align with the most ambitious, credible, and robust frameworks, like the SBTi, to reach global net zero by 2050 at the latest.

Michael McComb is global head of Sustainability Communications at 麻豆原创.

Let’s turn the spotlight to discover how this crisis can create new opportunities for companies and individuals. Here, Gitte Winther Bruhn, global head of Social Responsibility Solutions at 麻豆原创, Alexandra van der Ploeg, global head of Corporate Social Responsibility at 麻豆原创, and Robert Richardson, HR tech strategy advisor, discuss the importance of . This transition will help us protect our planet, our environment, and the “safe space for humanity” 鈥� our society, our friends, and our families 鈥� for the next generations to come.

Q: 鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�媁hen we hear about the consequences of climate change, the social implications still don鈥檛 seem to surface in conversations as much 鈥� and certainly not as an opportunity. Can you offer some insight into what鈥檚 below the surface and why there is an important opportunity we should push above the horizon?

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�媁inther Bruhn: When discussing climate change, we mainly address carbon emissions, not the impact on humans. We have an opportunity to address human inequality alongside climate actions through an inclusive green economy. Human talent will be crucial for the transition, as a greener economy requires new, green skills 鈥� both for emerging jobs and for existing jobs that are evolving. The green and critical transition will be impossible without a suitably trained workforce. forecast that by 2030 the global human talent shortage will be more than 85 million people, or roughly the same as the entire population of Germany. And 85% of these jobs have not even been invented yet. Demand for talent is outpacing supply and will impact society and businesses. This is a challenge, but it provides us with an unprecedented possibility of job creation.

For example, making a carbon neutrality commitment requires significant changes to business operations. Companies must measure emissions, create action plans, execute change, measure performance, report results, and iterate. We need to reimagine training and reskilling for the global workforce. To understand how green skills are applied in jobs, pinpoint where gaps arise and what actions we can take to bridge them. An inclusive green transition could in the next decade but requires significant investments in reskilling.

Green skills are the building blocks of the green transition to unlock the human capital that will power it 鈥� in a just way that leaves no one behind. For example, the transition to a green economy remains the best hope for . It would create new jobs and bring more investment to Africa in the long term for the continent’s sustainable development. This is crucial for Africa with approximately 70% of the population below the age of 30 and new entrants joining the workforce every year. UNEP estimates that expanding solar and wind capacity in Senegal will create up to 30,000 additional jobs by 2035.

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�媁e see three key players in this transition: government, employers, and individuals. What are the biggest challenges and tasks for employers in this transition?

鈥嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌嬧赌婻颈肠丑补谤诲蝉辞苍: It鈥檚 great to see the thousands of companies making carbon neutrality commitments. Most companies don鈥檛 yet have the requisite knowledge and skills to achieve their commitments though. , such as specialized data analysis focused on emissions and energy use, specialized hardware expertise focused on installing energy-monitoring modules, communicating and marketing with an understanding of how sustainability messaging is perceived in specific markets, and so on.

Three important focus areas for companies are:

• Good job design: Jobs should be designed with the right requirements in mind. Some roles will require deep sustainability specialization, but most will simply require some sustainable competencies to ensure the whole company is rowing in the same direction. Data scientists don鈥檛 necessarily need a sustainability degree. Product sourcing specialists don鈥檛 need five years of experience in a social responsibility department to purchase less carbon-intensive products and services. Good job design can reflect these requirements to encourage upskilling, attract talent, and allow for the assessment of candidate fit.
• Attracting talent: Attracting talent goes beyond publishing jobs. Candidates regularly review a company鈥檚 sustainability commitments when considering where to work. CHROs and talent acquisition leaders who ensure their recruiting brand brings sustainability messaging front and center will disproportionately win over these candidates. People want more than a check; they want to make a difference. But candidates are skeptical of greenwashing. So, prove it by engaging in good job design and touting sustainable commitments and achievements.
• Developing talent: Just as companies can conduct a job design audit of skills required to achieve sustainability goals, they can also audit their people skills. Knowing the skills you require 鈥� job design 鈥� and the skills you have 鈥� people skills 鈥� elucidates the gap an organization needs to fill to accomplish its objectives. Candidly, this can be daunting without sophisticated software and machine learning capabilities required to streamline the process. But it鈥檚 worth it. Knowing your skills gap is key to delivering effective, personalized upskilling and reskilling programs. Individualized learning, goals management, and performance management drive employee engagement, retention, and achievement of sustainability objectives.

Currently, green job growth is outpacing the labor market鈥檚 ability to keep up. Organizations focused on thoughtful job design, recruiting marketing, and personalized, data-driven talent development will have the best chance of achieving their sustainability goals.

鈥嬧�嬧�婲ow that we have talked about the employers鈥� opportunities and duties in their own company and operations, what is the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in this?

van der Ploeg: In most companies, corporate social responsibility teams are responsible for overseeing and implementing a company’s social and environmental initiatives and, therefore, play an important role in supporting the green transition and addressing the skills gap and shortage challenge. The CSR strategy should acknowledge the interconnections of societal, environmental, and business challenges alike. So, CSR teams can set the stage for their own company and partner with others to reach joint sustainability goals. 麻豆原创 has already successfully done this by integrating social responsibility into its sustainability framework.

A company will not only be impacted by the talent shortage in its operations but also in its partner network. It鈥檚 relevant for all stakeholders in the economy and it鈥檚 evident that the talent crunch is driven by a shortage of skills, not people. Plenty of people are willing to learn. That鈥檚 why, in their own interest, corporations should bring all of their assets to support the provision of quality education. CSR teams and their networks have the expertise to run such strategic programs. Last year, for example, , focusing on employability. This year, 麻豆原创 and Generation Unlimited will pilot a program to support 鈥榣earning to earning鈥� pathways for underserved young people in the digital and green economy. They鈥檒l learn the hard and soft skills needed to become employable.

The consequences of climate change and other global developments such as the COVID-19 pandemic, often affect the world’s poorest. Any detrimental impact on economic or ecological systems will damage the social systems and disproportionately affect generally marginalized communities. That鈥檚 why our pilot focuses on marginalized youth in Nigeria, the Philippines, Kenya, and South Africa 鈥� with the goal of reaching more than 500,000 young people in the first year. They will get foundational knowledge and 麻豆原创 skills to open a pathway to a successful career in the 麻豆原创 ecosystem, along with on-the-job experience, coaching, and mentorship to help them launch their careers. This truly will be a win for the program, as 麻豆原创 will see skilled young people in the ecosystem helping our partners and customers in their digital transformations and on their path to achieving their sustainability goals while providing the young talents better possibilities to have a career, earn a living wage, and live a decent life.

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�媁hat responsibilities and opportunities do you see for governments in this transformation?

鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�媁inther Bruhn: The transition is a unique opportunity to mature functional labor markets with sophisticated, educational, and inclusive social protection systems and a future-proof workforce. Today, many commitments to international agreements are made without reference to the implications on labor markets and skills and training needs. to link employment to action to address climate change and provide a significant driver for green job creation. To succeed, good coordination of policies and actions across government ministries and the private sector, including employers and workers, is needed to prevent and reduce skills mismatches.

I want to briefly mention one last key player, ourselves. Our actions do matter, as they collectively can lead to political change. We all need to embrace the change and the opportunities that come with the transition to a greener economy. We need to make choices on home heating systems, how cars should run, and reflect on our diet to avoid high-emission foods. We need to be proactive, take ownership of our own skill set, and embrace career flexibility. We need to internalize a mindset of lifelong learning.

To conclude, it is essential for all stakeholders, including governments, businesses, and workers, to collaborate on a new social contract and ensure we move forward together 鈥� toward a future that works for everyone.

Simone Maienfisch is part of New Business & Industry Strategy at 麻豆原创.

The National Retail Federation鈥檚 annual expo kicks off on Monday in New York with more than 1,000 exhibitors, 150 sessions and a focus on a handful of “disruptor” issues. Climate change and sustainability will take center stage at NRF 2023.

麻豆原创鈥檚 Take

鈥淐limate change, circular economy and sustainability have all come to the forefront over the past few years and global supply chains sit right in the middle of these challenges: as a major contributor to the problems and as a great area of focus where we can take action to address the problems,鈥� said Richard Howells, a supply chain expert at 麻豆原创.

While many companies have created mission statements and goals around sustainability 鈥� for example, becoming carbon neutral over the next decade 鈥� many still lack the ability to capture, monitor and measure their emissions and waste. Supply chains have a huge part to play in addressing that.

An estimated 76%聽 of global trade passes through supply chains with much of it destined for the retail sector. End-to-end supply chain transparency is critical to help retail businesses meet regulatory, governmental and company-mandated goals. This transparency needs to encompass not only their own facilities but also those of suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics service providers and other partners across the business network.

鈥淪ustainability initiatives must extend from the design to the decommission of a product, from raw materials sourcing to last-mile logistics, and even to product usage, returns and recycling processes,鈥� Howells said. 鈥淎t every stage in the life cycle of specific products, there are social and environmental impacts.鈥�

From the start, product design must be made with end of life in mind, including how they will be recycled, reused, repurposed and returned to the earth.

鈥淧lanning processes must take into account not only optimizing inventory, asset utilization and cost reduction, but also emission reduction and ethical material sourcing that eliminates slave labor and ensures fair trade regulations,” Howells said. 鈥淢anufacturing and logistics processes must focus on eliminating waste and emissions and ensure the safety of the workforce.鈥�

Contact:
Ilaina Jonas, Senior Director of Global Public Relations, 麻豆原创
+1 (646) 923-2834, ilaina.jonas@sap.com

One company with extensive expertise in ESG reporting is , the world鈥檚 largest brewer. The company鈥檚 strategy for growth through the digitization of its ecosystem 鈥� which includes 200 breweries, 6 million customers, and over 2 billion consumers, generating over 10 million weekly transactions 鈥� involves a lot of data.

The Right Data

鈥淏rewing requires the best ingredients, which requires a healthy environment. We are an agribusiness. We see the far-reaching implications of climate change in our operations and sourcing regions,鈥� said Ezgi Barcenas, chief sustainability officer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. 鈥淲ith operations in over 50 countries, we鈥檙e looking at many metrics. Just inside our walls, we have 400 operating practices for tracking efficiency, water, energy, maintenance, and sourcing, to name a few.鈥�

Barcenas explained that as the company looks at its supply chain, it must think through the environmental and social impact up- and downstream, from the smallholder farmers down to the half million SMEs that are its customers selling its products around the world, all the mom-and-pop shops as well as the big chains.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot of data,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow add all your research and innovation data, security data, and ideas about the future of packaging and logistics. The point is, sometimes you need better data, not more. You need to ask yourself: is this data useful for making decisions? Does it help drive the right actions through the business?”

Another data-heavy company participating in the discussion was Schneider Electric SE, a French multinational specializing in聽digital automation and energy management for buildings, data centers, infrastructure, and industries. By 2025, thanks to its energy and sustainability services and green product innovations, it will have and avoid 800 million tons of CO2.

鈥淲e need to triple our speed to avert climate disaster. Reporting scope 3 emissions is extremely important, because we can only track what we measure and we can only improve if we measure,鈥� said Michael Lofty, senior vice president, Power Products, Schneider Electric. The good news is that about 70% of Schneider Electric鈥檚 revenue already comes from green solutions. The company invests heavily in innovation. 鈥淎ny innovation coming from Schneider Electric is a sustainable offer,鈥� he explained. 鈥淓ach product is more sustainable than the one before it, and metrics are key proof points.鈥�

At Schneider Electric, the main challenge was to get suppliers on board the sustainability journey. The company launched a Zero Carbon Project to help 1,000 suppliers responsible for 70% of its upstream carbon emissions become more sustainable. 鈥淭his is a movement and it鈥檚 a must-have movement, because we are only as strong as our smallest supplier,鈥� said Lofty. The project aims to quantify supplier emissions to establish a baseline and identify key sources of emissions. This enables data-driven prioritization of intervention and road map creation.

ESG Reporting

Most people assume that ESG investing is designed to reward companies helping the planet. According to a by the Harvard Business Review, however, ESG ratings that underlie ESG fund selection are based on materiality, an accounting principle stating that all items likely to impact investors鈥� decision-making must be recorded in detail in a business鈥檚 financial statements using聽.

Some businesses are already linking materiality to their own fortunes and that of the planet. A revealed that a significant minority of respondents say sustainability is already financially material to their businesses and a larger group believes it will be imminent in the near future. Companies like Anheuser-Busch IN Bev and Schneider Electric are finding ways to make that link pay off with the help of data.

鈥淥ne change we鈥檝e seen over the last few years is that investors have a better understanding of which data is material to the business, and they ask more questions around it,鈥� said Barcenas. 鈥淲e鈥檙e increasingly trying to provide more context around our data.鈥�

Providing accurate data is the only way to really demonstrate the impact of the changing world on a company鈥檚 profits and losses. Having one global framework and mandatory reporting would certainly help address the data challenge, but that won鈥檛 happen in the near future.

鈥淲e still need to progress on some of the standards and regulations before we can make them mandatory,鈥� said Gunther Rothermel, senior vice president, head of Sustainability Engineering, 麻豆原创. 鈥淲e need to look at the common denominator underlying the regulations and cover that level first, and then grow this common denominator as the regulations mature and become accepted.鈥�

Companies like 麻豆原创, he said, with products that also need to meet standards, will, at least for now, have to serve numerous frameworks. In the meantime, 麻豆原创 solutions help organizations of all sizes and industries achieve their zero emissions, zero waste, and zero inequality goals through ESG data transparency across crucial business processes, business networking, and a large ecosystem of partners.鈥�

鈥淲e believe that embedding sustainability at the core of business strategy can help drive operational efficiency, innovation, employee engagement, supply chain resilience, risk mitigation, improved sales, and other strategic business benefits,鈥� said Rothermel.

Having the right data proof points will help companies better understand the return on their sustainability investment (ROSI) and the materiality underlying investor decision-making, resulting in shareholder returns and long-term benefits to the environment and society.

For more information on how 麻豆原创 helps companies record, report, and act on their sustainability goals, visit .

Over 1.3 million Nigerians have been displaced by the floods, which have killed at least 600 people, destroyed more than 200,000 homes, and hit 32 out of the country鈥檚 36 states. The floods are the worst for more than a decade and have wiped out crops, disrupted drinking water supplies, and turned capital city Lagos into an island surrounded by floodwaters.

Speaking last month during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, Mai Farid of the fund’s African department warned about the impact of the floods, which have also hit Cameroon and Chad, on transport, food production, and prices.

Farid noted that Nigeria is part of the most food-insecure region, the region most vulnerable to climate change and yet the least prepared. She urged the government to invest in infrastructure and technology to help prevent and mitigate the impact of floods and other climate-related natural disasters in the future: “Rebuilding better is something that countries need to take into account since climate change is not going anywhere and is inevitable.鈥�

Nigeria is Africa鈥檚 most populous country and largest economy. Even before the latest flood, it聽 faced rising food insecurity as a combination of a mostly informal agriculture sector and growing population puts pressure on the country鈥檚 food resources. According to the , food insecurity increased from six percent of the Nigerian population in 2007 to 13.4% in 2017.

The agriculture sector is the largest contributor to the Nigerian economy and聽. However, according to the United Nation (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization, food production in Nigeria is undermined by a number of factors, among them poor planting material and insufficient use of fertilizer, which leads to a growing reliance on food imports.

To help address these issues and support smallholder, the Convention on Business Integrity鈥檚 for-profit arm Innovations Limited, or CBiIL, chose the solution to support 850,000 small maize producers and integrate them into the agricultural value chains.

While West Africa, like Africa as a whole, is still heavily dependent on agriculture, it is home to some of the world鈥檚 fastest growing mega cities like Lagos, so urbanization and the associated environmental issues are top of mind, particularly among young adults.

The region also has a reputation for leap-frogging old technology — first mobile technology and now with cloud computing. In Nigeria itself, the number of mobile phone subscribers is forecast to grow to more than 140 million by 2025 from about 40 million currently.

As Africa鈥檚 largest oil and liquified natural gas (LNG)聽 producer, Nigeria is on the front line of the debate over sustainable development in the West Africa. It is also a key market for 麻豆原创, which counts among its customers Nigeria LNG, which operates six LNG liquefaction units, and Dangote Group, the conglomerate founded and run by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.

The group鈥檚 Dangote Cement unit already publishes an annual sustainability report, part of Aliko Dangote鈥檚聽 personal commitment to build 鈥渁 socially responsible and impactful business that serves all stakeholders.鈥� Dangote is also close to completing the Dangote Refinery, the world鈥檚 largest petroleum refinery capable of processing 650,000 barrels of oil per day. When it comes online, the $20 billion refinery will enable Nigeria to process most of its oil instead of exporting crude to be refined overseas.

鈥淲e are having conversations with Dangote about some of our sustainability solutions and how they measure their impact on the environment,鈥� says Titilayo Adewumi, regional sales director for West Africa at 麻豆原创.

Nigeria LNG is also committed to sustainability and is Africa鈥檚 largest LNG exporter, but has recently been operating well below capacity because of a number of factors, including under-investment in recent years and endemic crude oil theft. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 address this, we will not get out of this quagmire that we are in,鈥� Nigeria LNG Managing Director recently warned Philip Mshelbila. Speaking last month at a conference in Lagos, Mshelbila also acknowledged that the flooding has reduced the gas supplies from the company鈥檚 upstream suppliers, though he said Nigeria LNG鈥檚 facilities remain unaffected and its capacity to produce LPG is intact.

Companies in Nigeria also have to grapple with unreliable electricity supplies and frequent power outages, a problem that business leaders say has led some manufactures to relocate to neighboring Ghana, which has a much more reliable electricity system.

Ghana is the regional leader in addressing plastics pollution and circular economy issues. A groundbreaking between the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), and 麻豆原创 in Ghana is increasing visibility within the plastics supply chain with the hope of benefiting people, companies, and the environment.

The project involves more than 2,000 Ghanaian waste pickers and makes use of an adapted version of 麻豆原创 Rural Sourcing Management to measure the quantities and types of plastic they collect. Data is then analyzed and matched to market-related prices paid throughout the value chain both locally and internationally.

Ghana generates an estimated 1.1 million tons of plastic waste every year, with only five percent collected for recycling. This new pilot project is currently running in several cities across Ghana, with hopes of expanding to the rest of the region and ultimately the continent through the GPAP-Africa Regional Coordination Working Group, which includes 麻豆原创.

Across the region, the bulk of 麻豆原创 customers are choosing cloud solutions rather than on-premise technology and 麻豆原创 seeks to help customers deliver on their climate goals by creating greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability of carbon and emissions across the entire supply chain and innovating new processes and business models.

But 麻豆原创 Africa Managing Director Cathy Smith and other experts caution that while sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are an increasingly important part of the conversation among governments and corporate leaders, it is important to recognize that customers in Africa often have other — perhaps higher — priorities.

In particular, they say business leaders need to be persuaded that sustainability makes good business sense and will ultimately benefit the company, economy, and people.

鈥淲e lead by asking about their business priorities, and then we fold in sustainability,鈥� Smith explains. “It’s just a different approach.”

Almost 700 people who attended workforce development or entrepreneurship programs provided feedback to the survey. Participants were predominantly disadvantaged or disabled youth who averaged 28 years old and were evenly split between genders. What they all shared was the desire for a better life, whether they struck out on their own or worked for an organization in pretty much any industry.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to measure the impact of volunteerism unless you actually talk with the beneficiaries. Unlike traditional post-project research that can take years to get results, our remote data collection and analysis approach surfaces project impact in weeks, making it actionable faster for corporate sponsors like 麻豆原创 and their social enterprise partners and the communities they serve,鈥� said Sasha Dichter, cofounder and CEO at 60 Decibels. 鈥淲ith near real-time information from beneficiaries, organizations can hold themselves accountable, quickly comparing results from different geographies and using the data to improve offerings based on participant feedback.鈥�

Having participated in the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, I can attest to the deeply satisfying and motivational experience of providing hands-on support to my in-country partners at . To date, the global, pro-bono consulting program run in partnership with has helped over 450 nonprofits and social enterprises address business challenges using the skills and knowledge of 麻豆原创 employees like me. But what really matters is how these social enterprise programs make a difference in the lives of the people in the communities they serve, reducing inequalities and supporting underserved populations. Accurate metrics on program results prove the efficacy of these programs and become the foundation of future deep impact plans.

Metrics Reveal Long-Lasting Improvements

Seventy-seven percent of respondents to the 60 Decibels survey said that their quality of life had improved. People in the entrepreneurship programs cited gains in skills and knowledge, along with positive changes in their perspectives, business expansion, and, tellingly, higher customer satisfaction. Professional, financial, and personal growth were the top three positive outcomes for beneficiaries who participated in workforce development programs. When asked to rate skills gained through their participation in one social enterprise program, beneficiaries ranked computer skills highest (70%), followed by communication (45%), better time management (40%), ability to navigate teamwork (32%), and enhanced professional skills (32%).

Notably, almost 60% of beneficiaries in both programs reported an upswing in their business revenue or income. Results ran the gamut from the ability to save money to strengthened leadership, networking, and other business strategies.

Measurable results went beyond business fundamentals. Almost 70% of beneficiaries reported a significant uptick in their self-confidence, having increased their skills so they could become more independent and 鈥渁ct on a vision鈥� for the future. Forty-five percent said they garnered greater respect from household members after attending the program. Breaking free of parental support was a benefit for many people, allowing them to make a more valuable contribution to their home. Numerous people credited their newfound professional maturity to their experience in workforce development programs.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to measure the 360-degree view of program impact,鈥� said Dichter. 鈥淕etting a job and increasing your income is immediate, but there鈥檚 also the lasting experiential results that someone carries into their family life and throughout their career.鈥�

Triple Impact of Social Enterprise Programs

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical program, and I talked with Hemang Desai, global program director of 麻豆原创 Social Sabbatical, who saw the results of the study as validation of its success.

鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to delivering triple impact for long-term, sustainable benefits to social sector organizations and the people and communities they serve, as well as the personal and professional growth of 麻豆原创 employees,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur program is continuously evolving to address global challenges aligned with 麻豆原创鈥檚 corporate social responsibility strategy, Most recently, that includes increased collaboration with nonprofits and social enterprises to meet sustainability objectives such as climate action and circular economy. We鈥檙e focused on scaling our efforts, using what we鈥檝e learned to expand pro-bono services to social enterprises supporting economic equity and social justice.鈥�

As global calls for sustainability grow louder, social enterprises that educate and train disadvantaged people for fulfilling careers that address these challenges are a potent force for positive change. In fact, I鈥檓 actively involved in 麻豆原创鈥檚 newly-launched virtual social entrepreneurship support program, Acceleration Collective. I鈥檓 providing communications coaching and consulting to , a Nigerian-based social enterprise that educates women in rural communities to become self-sufficient, turning local waste into a sustainable livelihood. Climate change negatively impacts the most disadvantaged populations, offering social enterprise programs another opportunity for meaningful community impact.

Follow me @smgaler.

The Mississippi river is a vital transport route for U.S. agricultural commodities, carrying 92% of U.S. agricultural exports and 78% of the global exports of feed grains and soybeans. But water levels in some parts of the river are now so low that commercial traffic has been halted and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been called in to begin emergency dredging.

With no sign of an end to the drought in the Midwest, water levels in the Mississippi are now near 30-year lows because of a lack of rain in the Ohio River Valley and the Upper Mississippi. As a result, U.S crop exports at Louisiana Gulf Coast terminals were at their lowest level in nine years for the first week of October, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and shipping prices have soared.

麻豆原创’s Take

Historically, shipping along the Mississippi river and its tributaries has been less expensive than other forms of transportation, but this hasn鈥檛 been true in recent weeks. As Richard Howells, vice president of solution management for digital supply chain at 麻豆原创 notes: 鈥淲e plan in the perfect world and we execute in the real world.鈥�

With parts of the river unpassable for big barges, he says grain shippers in particular have been forced to look at alternative modes of transport to move the grain to the port. 鈥淵ou may be able to use trains to take the load part way and trucks for the last mile,鈥� he says.

That, he suggests, is easier if the shipper has clear and up-to-date information. Providing that kind of data visibility, control and risk resiliency is the purpose of聽. 鈥淲ith connected data — including freight, fleet and logistics — you can re-plan with an updated schedule based on available routes and vehicles.”

鈥淲hen there鈥檚 a disruption, companies have to move quickly to identify which trucking companies and railways offer the right services and are available on short notice,鈥� Howells says. In particular shippers need to establish whether they have contracts with these logistics service providers already, or contacts that could broker introductions to new vendors.

鈥淚deally, you want to foster relationships with a trusted network of business partners so you have more choices and a faster response when the unexpected happens,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f your grain is sitting in a stranded barge waiting for the dredger to deepen the water, which customers are expecting that order?鈥�

Once contingency plans are in place, the next step is to figure out whether the grain will arrive on time for each handover between trains, trucks and the outbound ships sitting in the ports. 鈥淯pdated information and visibility at every leg of the journey helps you keep customers informed, resetting their expectations so they can adapt their operations as well,鈥� says Howells.

Contact:
Joellen Perry, Head of聽Global Public Relations, 麻豆原创
+1 (626) 265-0370,聽joellen.perry@sap.com, PT

Drought conditions in much of North America and Europe are resulting in water restrictions and extremely low water levels in many rivers threaten transportation of supplies. Europe has been particularly hard hit during a summer of record temperatures and months of below-average rainfall.

Two major river arteries 鈥� the Danube and the Rhine 鈥� have already become almost impassible in some places. This is threatening transportation of grain and other commodities on the 1,800-mile Danube, which flows into the Black Sea. Also impacted are supplies of coal and diesel fuel carried by barge on the Rhine that are essential to the economies of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

麻豆原创鈥檚 Take

Low water levels in Europe鈥檚 main navigable rivers threaten to exacerbate the supply chain problems already caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

As Richard Howells, a expert at 麻豆原创, noted, the ships and barges traveling down the Rhine are essential modes of transport for shipping products and materials through western Europe, and Germany in particular. It is estimated that 80% of Germany鈥檚 water freight is transported on the Rhine, meaning that millions of tons of goods are shipped via the river every year.

鈥淭ransporting goods is a聽24/7, 365 day-a-year operation, requiring coordination and collaboration between multiple entities,鈥� Howells said. 鈥淲hen a key mode of transport 鈥� such as shipping 鈥� is disrupted by low river levels, it becomes a logistical nightmare.鈥�

Either more vessels carrying lighter loads must be used so that they will sit higher in the water, or alternate modes of transport must be procured, usually at a higher cost. 鈥淭his will have additional knock-on effects, such as higher congestion on the roadways, with increased emissions that will impact already challenging sustainability goals,鈥� he warns.

Low river levels also have dire consequences for other forms of commerce. In the U.S., the federal government has stepped in after western states failed to reach agreements to reduce water use from the drought-plagued Colorado River, issuing cuts that will affect Nevada, Arizona and Mexico.

In France, the water in the Rhone and Garonne rivers is too warm to cool some of the country鈥檚 nuclear reactors, adding to a power crisis. And in Italy, agriculture is impacted by low water levels in the Po River, which feeds the country鈥檚 rice fields.

Pointedly, some economists fear the drought in Europe could tip a region already under stress from the war in Ukraine into recession.

Contact:
Paul Taylor, Editorial Director of 麻豆原创 News Network
+1 (212) 653-9607, paul.taylor04@sap.com

Three separate downpours over an eight-day period in Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois destroyed crops and homes and left dozens dead, including at least 37 people in eastern Kentucky. The torrential rainfall, which reached four inches an hour at times, caused the worst flash flooding in 95 years in parts of Kentucky, which now faces enormous rebuilding costs.

麻豆原创鈥檚 Take

The flooding prompted new warnings from climate experts that the intensity and frequency of heavy rain is likely to increase as a consequence of global warming, along with other natural disasters including wildfires.

While it may not be possible to avoid these weather-related disasters altogether, some data experts, including Michael Lemashov, 麻豆原创 head of 麻豆原创 BTP and GTM solution architects, say that the technology exists to anticipate the severity of such events.

This could provide some warning of an impending disaster enabling people to reach safety, saving lives and reducing the loss of costly equipment and infrastructure. 鈥淭he science is there,鈥� says Lemashov, who is based in 麻豆原创鈥檚 North American headquarters in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

Lemashov and his team began examining the problem in the wake of catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston. The team got as far as designing a proof-of-concept (PoC) solution for Harris County officials in collaboration with the team鈥檚 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform () innovation architects, data scientists, and user experience designers from 麻豆原创鈥檚 customer innovation and maintenance team.

The proposed solution drew on existing sensor data about water levels around the area and factored in historical data on previous hurricanes to create a prediction model. Lemashov explains: 鈥淏ased on similarities to other hurricanes, we can start predicting how quickly areas will flood 鈥� alerting to the need to evacuate an area within the next two hours, ten hours, and so on. That’s where the science comes in.鈥�

The PoC solution also included a mobile app that enabled citizens to notify authorities of an event, including the type of emergency and where it was happening. The app could then route these requests for help to first responders who could verify the report 鈥� if necessary, using personnel from outside the impacted area. This could help to deploy resources while avoiding blocked roads, flooded underpasses, and other hazards.

Unfortunately, the PoC solution wasn鈥檛 picked up at that time because of a lack of funding. But Lemashov still believes it has the potential to save lives and mitigate the impact of flooding. 鈥淭he technological capabilities are there, and we are being pennywise and dollar foolish by not implementing these solutions,鈥� he says.

He adds that 鈥渋f you think about how much destruction is there and how much we spent on rebuilding, if we instead spent just a fraction of that on predicting and figuring out how to avoid some of the losses 鈥� I think a small percentage would pay for it.鈥�

Lemashov also believes that, by working with partners in academia, the app or one like it could be refined. For example, data could be added about how water flows through a particular topography and the technology could be adapted for use in other circumstances.

By monitoring humidity, wind speed, and other variables, it might be possible to anticipate wildfires and pre-emptively douse extremely dry vegetation with water from the air. If a fire starts, the same data coupled with spot personnel reports, could help evacuate those in the path of a fire more quickly.

Contact:
Paul Taylor, Editorial Director of 麻豆原创 News Network, 麻豆原创
+1 (212) 653-9607, paul.taylor04@sap.com

麻豆原创 is one of seven global companies that already have 1.5掳C-aligned reduction targets, and the first in Germany.

The company has responded to a call to action issued by a broad coalition of business, civil society, and United Nations (UN) leaders to make the critical and necessary contribution to keeping global temperature increase within 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

鈥淲hile much of 麻豆原创鈥檚 ability to create a sustainable future lies in how we enable customers to create positive economic, social, and environmental impact through our product portfolio, 麻豆原创鈥檚 ambition has always been to lead by example and be a credible role model,鈥� said 麻豆原创 Chief Sustainability Officer Daniel Schmid. 鈥淭o contribute to the UN Sustainable Development , we aim to become carbon neutral in 麻豆原创鈥檚 own operations by 2025. But our responsibility goes beyond that. In line with our vision and purpose to help the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives, we are committed to join the global movement of leading companies and align our businesses with the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement to prevent global warming exceeding 1.5掳C. Our strong cloud strategy will be a key driver based on efficiency gains in our data centers and a significant increase of our cloud customers.鈥�

Setting Ambitious Emissions Reduction Targets

In June, global leaders 鈥� including Her Excellency Mar铆a Fernanda Espinosa Garc茅s, president of the UN General Assembly; Lise Kingo, CEO and executive director of the UN Global Compact; Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; John Denton, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce; and SDG Advocate Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever 鈥� collectively issued an .

The letter challenges chief executive officers to set ambitious targets for their companies in line with last October鈥檚 , which made the case for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5掳C above pre-industrial levels.

Companies are asked to set verifiable science-based targets through the , which independently assesses corporate emissions reduction targets against scientific best practice.

Building a prosperous, net-zero carbon economy by 2050 requires a transformation of unprecedented pace and scale, with decisive business leadership and investment in climate solutions supported by ambitious government policies. By setting ambitious policies and targets in line with a 1.5掳C trajectory, governments give business the clarity and confidence to invest decisively in the zero-carbon economies of the future.

鈥淲e need concrete, realistic plans by 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, and to net zero by 2050,鈥� said Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, UN Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, and one of the key advocates for the campaign. 鈥淐limate change requires an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society, and business leadership demonstrated by setting science-based targets at 1.5掳C will send strong market signals as we look to identify the scalable and replicable solutions needed to secure a world where no one is left behind.鈥�

鈥淲e have less than 11 years to fundamentally change our economies or we will face catastrophic consequences,鈥� said Lise Kingo, CEO and executive director of the UN Global Compact, an SBTi partner. 鈥淔or the first time, we are seeing business and climate leaders coalesce around a common call to action, sending a powerful signal that science-based target setting presents a significant opportunity for businesses to step up when it comes to tackling climate change and limiting global warming to 1.5掳C.鈥�

Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP, an SBTi partner, said, 鈥淭he science is clear: In order to limit the catastrophic impacts of climate change, we must ensure warming does not exceed 1.5掳C. The ambition is high, but it鈥檚 achievable, and science-based targets give companies a roadmap for getting there. Corporations worldwide have an unprecedented opportunity to be at the very forefront of the transition to a net-zero economy 鈥� and there is no time to lose.鈥�

To join the movement and take action,
visit: .