In an era of growing environmental awareness, sustainable behaviours are expected from enterprises worldwide. With consumers demanding more eco-friendly practices and governments imposing stricter regulations, businesses are pressured to demonstrate their commitment to enterprise sustainability.
However, amidst this rising trend, it is essential to distinguish between genuine enterprise sustainability claims and greenwashing, a practice that can mislead consumers and undermine the true purpose of sustainable enterprise. Greenwashing refers to misleading by creating an appearance of environmental responsibility without aligning business practices to reflect those claims. It involves making exaggerated or false enterprise sustainability statements to enhance the brand image without taking appropriate action.
Genuine enterprise sustainability involves a comprehensive approach that integrates environmental, social, and economic factors into business operations, aiming for long-term viability and positive impact. A real commitment to reducing its ecological footprint is at the heart of every sustainable enterprise. This commitment should be reflected in various areas, such as energy consumption, waste management, and greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, while sustainability can encompass multiple aspects of an enterprise, this article focuses explicitly on adopting sustainable practices in the context of enterprise mobility, the primary driver of which has recently shifted from productivity to digitisation. Read this blog post to learn how enterprise digitisation and sustainability are interrelated and how the former can also help increase your enterprise’s profits.
From the enterprise mobility standpoint, a genuinely sustainable enterprise optimises its use of resources (including paper) by adopting eco-friendly technologies like digitisation. Ignoring the above not only limits an enterprise’s competitiveness in an increasingly digital world but may also call into question the viability of its long-term sustainability claims.
As hinted, one of the more specific aspects of enterprise digitisation is the concept of a paper-free enterprise. A paper-free enterprise operates without or with minimal reliance on paper-based documents and processes. It involves digitising and streamlining workflows, communication, and document management to eliminate or significantly reduce the use of physical paper.
Transitioning to a paper-free approach aligns with the overall enterprise sustainability objectives, contributing to more environmentally responsible and efficient operations.
On that note, this digital forms app – myForms is one of our native digital products that help organisations significantly decrease paper dependency. Feel free to request myForms demo here.
To identify genuine sustainability claims, it is crucial to look beyond surface-level statements and assess the depth and transparency of an enterprise’s practices. A sustainable enterprise openly discloses its environmental impact, progress, and goals – providing data and metrics to support its claims, allowing stakeholders to evaluate its performance objectively. Moreover, a sustainable enterprise continues to improve by setting ambitious targets and actively working towards them. It seeks partnerships and innovative solutions to reduce its environmental impact, actively participates in sustainability initiatives, and shares best practices.
In contrast, greenwashing often relies on vague or misleading language, using buzzwords and empty promises without substantive action. It may involve superficial changes that create an illusion of sustainability but do not address the core issues or contribute to reasonable net-zero targets. An enterprise claiming sustainability without providing verifiable data, clear goals, or evidence of ongoing efforts is likely engaging in greenwashing.
As an IT consultancy and SAP Gold Partner, we understand the need to distinguish between genuine sustainability claims and the latter. Helping our clients reduce the negative environmental impact resulting from their operations aligns with our mission of unlocking their information value through turnkey solutions and tailored enterprise mobility services. myJobCard is another ODS-native enterprise mobility solution and the highest-rated mobile work and asset management application on the SAP store that helped many of our clients move towards a more sustainable future.
Genuine corporate sustainability requires a holistic approach integrating technological innovation with environmental consciousness. Here are the key aspects that differentiate a sustainable enterprise from greenwashing within the realm of enterprise mobility services:
- A Mobile-first Approach: Sustainable enterprises leverage the widespread use of mobile devices to promote efficient communication, reduce paper usage, support remote work, and facilitate digital operations, aligning with the principles of sustainability via resource usage optimisation, waste reduction, and the use of technology for positive environmental impact.
- Cloud Computing Technologies: Sustainable enterprises leverage cloud computing technologies to reduce energy consumption and promote scalability. Cloud-based solutions offer the ability to access information from anywhere and anytime, minimising the need for physical infrastructure. By optimising resource utilisation and reducing reliance on on-premises infrastructure, enterprises can contribute to energy conservation and sustainability.
- Data Security and Privacy: A sustainable enterprise understands the significance of data protection and privacy. They implement robust security measures to safeguard sensitive information, prevent data breaches, and comply with privacy regulations. By prioritising data security, enterprises can build trust with their stakeholders while mitigating the environmental impact of data breaches and cybersecurity incidents.
- Collaboration with partners, industry experts, and clients is another hallmark of a sustainable enterprise. By actively participating in sustainability initiatives and sharing best practices, enterprises demonstrate their commitment to making a positive difference on a broader scale.
- System implementations such as ISO 14001 and partnerships with recognised sustainability organisations are essential in establishing the credibility of a sustainable enterprise. Relevant certifications or system implementations validate an enterprise’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
In conclusion, a sustainable enterprise in enterprise mobility encompasses responsible device management, going paper-free, energy efficiency, data security and privacy, and using cloud computing technologies. By transparently communicating environmental impact, setting measurable goals, fostering collaboration, and investing in eco-friendly technologies, sustainable enterprises differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage over those participating in greenwashing.
Please browse through our Products Section or email info@ondevicesolutions.com to find out how our enterprise mobility services can help you align with recognised industry standards and showcase your organisation’s genuine and proactive approach to sustainability.
Founded in 2011, On Device Solutions (ODS) is a specialist IT consultancy providing enterprise mobility products and services. We are an SAP Gold Partner helping customers get anywhere and anytime access to the information stored in their enterprise systems like SAP, unlocking their information’s value. Contact Us Now.