Agreena now has two methodologies validated to the highest levels for their respective use cases
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Agreena, the company powering the global transition to regenerative agriculture, has achieved validation of its Scope 3 Project from SustainCERT, the independent validation and verification body recognised for its role in ensuring transparency and credibility in climate accounting.
This news comes as corporates face mounting pressure to disclose verified Scope 3 emissions under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and upcoming US SEC climate disclosure rules. Agreena’s SustainCERT validation for its on-farm regenerative interventions is the first step toward verification into Verified Impact Units (VIUs). Once issued, VIUs will give companies a traceable, auditable way to account for investments in decarbonising their agricultural supply chains — typically the largest contributor to total Scope 3 emissions — while enabling co-claiming across the value chain.
The announcement follows the Agreena Carbon Project’s Verra Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) verification in September, which issued 2.3 million carbon credits across 1.6 million hectares of regeneratively farmed land. SustainCERT validation builds on this integrity, focusing on Scope 3 reporting and enabling core safeguards such as tracking Impact Units and Proof of Sourcing.
The validation helps companies mitigate risks like double counting and freeriding, supports multiple types of farm partnerships — whether companies source directly from those fields or engage through wider value-chain collaborations — and drives collaboration across the value chain through co-financing and co-claiming arrangements, ensuring exclusivity and confidence in reported data.
Simon Haldrup, CEO and Co-founder and CEO of Agreena, commented: “SustainCERT validation reinforces Agreena’s role as the bridge between corporate ambition and farmer action. For companies with agricultural crops in their value chains, this milestone unlocks a way to collaborate directly with farmers and suppliers to transition to more sustainable practices, reduce emissions, and verify increases in soil carbon. By enabling verified impact to be transferred along the value chain with integrity, we’re helping build a more transparent and collaborative model for agricultural decarbonisation.”
SustainCERT’s validation assessed the Agreena methodology, data model, and monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) framework – confirming alignment with recognised international best practices and the globally adopted Verra VM0042 methodology. This ensures that each Impact Unit carries a comparable level of credibility and assurance to a Verra-issued carbon credit.
“The Agreena S3 Project supports farmers across Hungary, Romania, Poland, Spain and the UK in adopting regenerative agriculture practices to reduce emissions and increase soil carbon. Methodology VM0042 is used to measure GHG reductions and removals. We concluded that the design of the Agreena S3 project meets the SustainCERT Verification requirements for Value Chain Interventions,” added Marion Verles, CEO of SustainCERT.
Supply chain 4.0 – where preparedness and opportunity meet in the digital supply chain
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Supply chains matter. One break in the link and manufacturers can be left with costly disruptions that bring the entire operation to a standstill – and the problem isn’t going away soon. According to McKinsey research, disruptions lasting a month or longer now happen every 3.7 years on average. Whether it is issues securing raw materials, a steep rise in shipping costs, labour shortages, geopolitical conflicts, or sustainability concerns, the pressure is mounting on manufacturers to diversify their supplier partnerships and introduce more flexible operations. For manufacturers determined to create more resilient supply chains, Andrew Newton, Business Central Consultant at Columbus UK, argues that a digital transformation of supply chains will be integral to the industry’s ongoing survival.
Industry 4.0 has been the main driving force behind recent supply chain transformation with the introduction of IoT technologies such as cloud, data analytics, and AI throughout the manufacturing ecosystem. This includes smart factories that enhance manufacturing with Industry 4.0 tech and smart products offering internet-based services.
It’s now time for the supply chain to step up to the 4.0 digital plate. Market leaders, particularly in the automotive and electronics sectors, have already launched digital transformation initiatives to establish flexible and high-performing supply chains. And manufacturers of all sizes can learn from their example on how to achieve sustainable change.
When disruption is constant, an organisation’s preparation for supply chain changes will provide a significant competitive advantage. From effective data connectivity to reshoring operations, operationalising AI, and implementing a long-term sustainability agenda – successful manufacturers must be able to incorporate these factors into supply chains to drive innovation and redefine how products are created, developed, and delivered to meet evolving consumer demands.
Unearth actionable findings within the data haystack
Many businesses now have extensive data archives spanning several years, including substantial sales orders and operational performance records but the ability to extract maximum value from this data remains a common challenge. Manufacturers want to establish robust connections with shop floor assets to unlock enhanced operational efficiency and make more informed decisions. However, many lack the data-related skills to successfully link their machinery or manage the influx of data streams from sensors.
This is where the introduction of business intelligence dashboards with Supply Chain 4.0 can offer real-time production insights to inform decisions, boost efficiency, cut costs, and refine product quality.
The convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) adds to the data challenge, particularly where legacy equipment is still in use. It is important to recognise that the solutions being implemented require tailored approaches due to the unique demands of each manufacturing organisation. Developing applications within a business can be tricky, with not every business having the in-house data skills to do this.
Custom applications that don’t require extensive coding expertise can address this digital skills gap. Versatile solutions that combine low-code services, self-service analytics, and automation for instance, can make it easier for manufacturers to create applications that precisely align with their specific needs, boost efficiency, and innovate in the process. The establishment of a reliable data environment with Supply Chain 4.0 ensures that manufacturers can enhance decision-making and operational efficiency, all while reducing costly errors.
Operationalise AI to stay one step ahead
AI has left a mark on every industry and when it comes to the manufacturing landscape, the story is no different. Already many businesses are using AI tools to process real-time data from shop floor sensors to provide manufacturers with immediate insights and action, especially if quality measures breach thresholds. But the capabilities of AI don’t stop at detection.
Manufacturers must consider many factors in production and delivery, such as demand versus capacity and how much materials cost along the supply chain – and this is where unsupervised AI can be a useful tool for risk identification and market trend forecasting.
For instance, AI can suggest preferred suppliers to purchase from based on their supply chain history or issue alerts for impending weather events affecting supply chains. Social media analytics enabled by AI can also be used to project patterns to better understand where the market is heading but it can’t fully predict the future. Instead, the role of AI with Supply Chain 4.0 is to help manufacturers identify shifting consumer interests and trends, spot market trends relating to offerings or brand, and forecast waning or growing interest in product types.
I want it now! Proximity sourcing can help meet customers’ changing expectations
As supply chain disruptions become part of the new business environment, it’s time for manufacturers to end the reliance on disparate and siloed operations and instead look to nearshoring as the answer.
Customer expectations around delivery times are changing, with 62% of UK consumers now expecting next-day delivery when ordering online – an expectation that traditional offshoring business operational models now struggle to match. Yes, regional or local supply chains can be more expensive and add another level of complexity, but they do allow for greater inventory control and bring the product closer to the end customer, which reduces overall lead times. This reduction with Supply Chain 4.0 ensures that manufacturers can promote higher customer responsiveness and allows for constant improvement and innovation based on consumer feedback.
Nearshoring also provides an opportunity to clamp down on miles covered and will help manufacturers introduce a circular approach to operations. With over 4 in 5 UK adults recognising their role in lessening their environmental footprint, it is clear that the manufacturing industry needs to mirror this popular attitude – and technology will play a key role here. Automation techniques for instance can improve traceability and visibility over the entire product line, highlighting how businesses use and waste materials, along with how they can reuse products for better forecasting and reduce fossil fuel usage and pollution.
Particularly in the food industry, conscious consumers will base their buying behaviour on transport miles and the environmental impact of the product’s journey. If manufacturing businesses are able to clearly share this information with transparent supply chains, they will not only open themselves up to a larger customer pool but will also play a major role in tackling environmental challenges in the industry.
Long-term commitment to sustainability goals
Nearshoring is certainly one way that manufacturers can become more sustainable but with customer sustainability expectations rising, companies now have to show a long-term commitment to creating greener supply chains.
Many businesses are making efforts to report on internal sustainable efforts such as energy consumption but extending reporting down the supply chain poses challenges, such as effectively reporting on a supplier’s energy usage. To achieve a comprehensive sustainability profile, this reporting must span the entire supply chain.
Supply Chain 4.0 brings sustainability reporting tools that provide comprehensive tracking and analysis of environmental and social impacts, which will enable manufacturers to make informed decisions, ensure regulatory compliance, and communicate sustainable practices transparently. Manufacturers are looking to achieve this connectivity, particularly in linking shopfloor equipment usage with sustainability goals.
Leading organisations are pushing for data standardisation among their supply chain suppliers but this brings its own set of pros and cons. Increased standardisation can make the supply chain more efficient and easier to review, potentially reducing a company’s risk. However, there’s more work needed to establish this standardisation.
As public and regulatory interest grows, having a clear view of supply chain processes will become even more important. In the short-term, expect leading companies to keep investing time and effort to better organise their supply chain data.
Supply Chain 4.0 – where preparation and opportunity meet in the digital supply chain
Digital transformation is a long and complex journey but preparedness plays a key role in achieving optimal outcomes. Through the process of transformation, manufacturers can more effectively adapt to ever-shifting business conditions and evolving customer demands with Supply Chain 4.0, all while maintaining a competitive edge.
The issue remains that each manufacturer faces their own unique scaling challenges that require a calculated approach to processes, planning, and implementation to create a sustainable business model. Often companies have growth ideas but lack a clear path to achieve them. The identification of key supply chain trends will set apart the laggards from the market leaders
Businesses have been forced to navigate and adapt to these challenges to ensure continuity, limit interruption and reduce risk
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From Brexit to the pandemic and the current geopolitical conflict, the supply chain industry has faced a flood of challenges in recent years. This has caused disruption to supply chains. Businesses have been forced to navigate and adapt to these challenges to ensure continuity, limit interruption and reduce risk.
Alice Strevens, Director Human Rights and Social Impact, Mazars
As part of this, it’s increasingly important for businesses to ensure they have robust human rights due diligence processes in place. These processes support companies in their decision-making during crises, and help them identify risks in their supply chains. This ultimately protects them in both stable and unstable times.
Human rights and environmental due diligence provides a basis on which to address environmental, social and governance issues that impact supply chain resilience. Companies that respond to crises with an approach based on due diligence are more likely to protect their relationships with suppliers. Plus, they get to mitigate the impact on workers in their value chain. An example of this is during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many companies saw buyers abruptly cancel orders, request refunds in full and pause orders for months. With many suppliers facing reduced sales at the time, it led to questions as to whether businesses were working alongside suppliers. Or taking advantage of the circumstances to get reduced costs.
It’s important to learn from these lessons to build strong sustainable supply chain strategies. This will help businesses remain resilient both in stable times. And in the face of significant events. There isn’t a perfect formula. However, the concept of double materiality (i.e. considering sustainability matters from both the perspective of the impact on people and the environment, and the perspective of the financial risks and opportunities to the business) is helping businesses to assess sustainability-related risk strategically.
Supplier engagement will ensure long-term success
Building a sustainable supply chain for the long-term requires engagement and collaboration with supply chain partners. Long-term relationships can provide a basis to share challenging risks and impacts transparently. Human rights and environmental due diligence foregrounds the importance of engagement and collaboration to mitigate identified risks and build resilience.
The responsible supply chain strategy should be integrated into the overarching sourcing strategy and supplier engagement approach. Delivery against the strategy should be built into performance targets and incentives. Regular reviews of impacts, targets and KPIs should be conducted at board level. Making use of the latest technological developments, including assessing their risk for social/environmental concerns and measuring and tracking performance. This will help companies stay ahead and be prepared in their processes.
An evolving regulatory landscape calls for preparedness
Another important point to keep in mind is the legislative landscape. This is especially pertinent in the EU, as the rules will make previous voluntary standards now mandatory and will impact large companies. This includes those in their supply chain, including in the UK.
Companies should therefore look to base their strategies on the authoritative voluntary frameworks on conducting human rights and environmental due diligence. Primarily the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. This will set them up for meeting legislative requirements down the line. For example, Mazars and Shift co-wrote the UNGP Reporting Framework, which provides a framework for companies to adopt responsible practices, and manage human rights risks.
The future of supply chain is now
Ultimately, companies and suppliers should work together to ensure collaboration and a robust strategy which takes all parties into consideration. Listening to feedback and promoting good communication between stakeholders will ensure smooth sailing during the business-as-usual times. And the more tumultuous periods.
Implementing long-lasting strategies and creating resilience to risks will increase business’ market access and promote their financial value. Thus ensuring that they deliver quality goods and gain loyalty among suppliers.
While environmental and climate change used to be the main topic of discussion, human rights and supply chains have taken over
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In recent years, supply chains gained momentum as the leading social issue for companies to address. While environmental and climate change used to be the main topic of discussion, human rights and supply chains have taken over. This is partly due to the scandals and allegations of exploitative labour practices from multinational companies. But also due to the increased public awareness of the role companies play in determining the management of their own supply chains.
Social sustainability
The shift to focus on social issues acknowledges the profound impact that supply chains can have on our communities, labour rights, and societal well-being. Progress has been made in greening supply chains, but addressing social sustainability is a complex challenge yet to be achieved. A holistic approach that integrates social responsibility in a meaningful way into every aspect of the supply chain is the way to go. Then businesses can make a difference in the long-term.
Understanding the social issues in supply chains
First and foremost, we need to understand what the risks and impacts are in supply chains. These largely depend on the industry and the part of the world where a given company works. Social sustainability in supply chains encompasses fair labour practices, human rights protection, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, and ethical sourcing. Building social sustainability requires a more thorough look at these issues:
Labour related issues
Labour exploitation
Supply chains often involve complex networks of subcontractors and suppliers. This can lead to challenges in monitoring and ensuring fair labour practices. Exploitative conditions such as low wages, long hours and unsafe working conditions can be prevalent, especially in industries like manufacturing and agriculture.
Worker welfare
Ensuring the well-being of workers throughout the supply chain is essential. This includes addressing issues around child labour, forced labour, discrimination, lack of access to essential benefits like healthcare. Issues around exploitation and worker welfare are especially troubling in the gig economy or in sectors with seasonally contracted workforce.
Labour rights violations
Encompassing the restriction on freedom of association and collective bargaining. I have had several clients whose subcontractors employed workers without employment contracts, completely violating local labour laws.
Human rights risks
Ethical sourcing
Companies face challenges in ensuring that their supply chains are free from human rights abuses, modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. Ethical sourcing policies and enhanced due diligence can screen out suppliers who can’t comply with legislation.
Conflict minerals
Sourcing minerals from conflict-affected regions can contribute to human rights abuses and armed conflict. Companies can implement measures to trace the origin of minerals and avoid financing conflict or further contribute to human rights violations.
Indigenous rights
Many supply chains involve land acquisition for resource extraction in areas inhabited by indigenous communities. Respecting Indigenous rights, including land rights and cultural heritage is crucial to avoid access restrictions to natural resources.
Community and land-related aspects
Land displacement
Though, we previously mentioned land issues in relation to indigenous people, supply chains might lead to land grabs from other communities. Proper consultation, compensation and resettlement plans are necessary to mitigate the negative impacts on affected communities.
Community engagement and development
Enterprises have the responsibility to contribute positively to the communities where they operate. In certain developing countries, these manufacturing facilities provide the only ‘good’ jobs and communities rely on them economically. Engaging with the communities and supporting local development through CSR programs is a popular way for companies to build lasting relationships.
Strategies and Tools for Enhancing Social Sustainability
Achieving social sustainability in supply chains requires a multifaceted approach that integrates social considerations into every stage of the supply chain lifecycle. When I work with my clients, I always look at three key pillars: legal requirements, voluntary standards, and management systems.
Legal requirements
The EU’s adoption of the new directives specifically targeting human rights and environmental impacts in supply chains adds to the long list of legal requirements companies need to follow to address modern slavery risks and practice corporate responsibility globally. Most of the legislation is not prescriptive in terms of what needs to be done exactly. But they do require companies to enforce corporate level standards on suppliers. Some companies have started including standard contractual clauses that require suppliers to follow legislation and adhere to the company’s policy on social topics.
Voluntary standards and certifications
There is a wide variety of voluntary standards and certifications that companies can explore on their social sustainability journey beyond legal compliance. Plus, there are certifications on Fair Trade, SA8000, Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code and decent work. There are also some more sector specific standards and certifications such as ethical fishing for food producers. It is up to companies to decide if they want to improve their practices by updating systems in line with best practices.
Supplier collaboration
Supplier collaboration through the provision of capacity building and training are great tools to raise awareness on labour rights, health and safety, diversity and inclusion and support suppliers to establish their own traceability systems. Typically, the supplier code of conduct is a legal requirement, but it could be extended to include more detailed expectation. These might include labour standards, human rights, environmental practices and ethical business conduct.
I would consider community investment through CSR programs as a voluntary initiative that allocates resources towards community development. It is ideally driven by the needs of locals and might include a combination of paying for services and providing training or education.
Management systems
Company management systems include the collection of policies, processes and management plans. Most of the policies are legal requirements as per my previous points. However, there can be additional policies focusing on areas where the company is exposed to risks in the supply chain. For example, HR policies typically include minimum age requirements.
Although, if the risk of child labour is relevant to the company, they might decide to have a separate policy on the prohibition of child labour. Following on from this example, a management plan would identify the risk of child labour. Whether it is for direct employees, contractors or subcontractors. This will describe a process to verify, record, audit and report on the age of workers. Supply chain specific management plans might include traceability and mapping, a supplier management plan, a supply chain risk assessment plan etc.
Stakeholder enagagement
The other important aspect of a company’s management system is stakeholder engagement and complaints management. Effective stakeholder engagement can facilitate the feedback mechanism from communities and workers in the supply chain.
Creating socially sustainable supply chains is not just a moral imperative. It is also a strategic business imperative in today’s interconnected world. If we prioritise social responsibility by embedding it into the operations, businesses can mitigate risks, enhance reputation and create value for society. Ultimately, building social sustainability requires a collective effort involving businesses, governments, civil society and other stakeholders.
We need to work together towards common goals to create supply chains. Not only to deliver economic value but also promote social justice, equity and dignity for all.
Ildiko Almasi Simsic is a social development specialist and Founder of E&S solutions which has developed the world’s first E&S specific research assistant – myESRA™.
Cybersecurity leader Shinesa Cambric on Microsoft’s innovation journey to identify, detect, protect, and respond to emerging threats against identity and access
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This month’s cover story highlights a cybersecurity program protecting billions of users.
Welcome to the latest issueof Interface magazine!
Interface showcases leaders at the forefront of innovation with digital technologies transforming myriad industries.
Shinesa Cambric is on a mission to drive innovation for cybersecurity at Microsoft. Moreover, by embracing diversity and opening all channels towards collaboration her team tackles anti-abuse and delivers fraud-defence. Continuous Improvement doesn’t just play into her role, it defines it…
“In the fraud and abuse space, attackers are constantly trying to identify ways to look like a legitimate user,” warns Shinesa. “And this means my team, and our partners, have to continuously adapt. We identify new patterns and behaviours to detect fraudsters. At the same time, we must do it in such a way we don’t impact our truly ‘good’ and legitimate users. Microsoft is a global consumer business and any time you add friction or an unpleasant experience for a consumer, you risk losing them, their business and potentially their trust. My team’s work sits on the very edge of the account sign up and sign in process. We are essentially the first touch within the customer funnel for Microsoft – a multi-billion dollar company.”
ABB: Digital Technolgies contributing towards Net Zero
Nigel Greatorex, Global Industry Manager for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at ABB Energy Industries, explains how digital technologies can play a critical role in the transition to a low carbon world. He highlights the role of CCS in enabling global emissions reductions and how challenges can be overcome through digitalisation…
“It is widely recognised decarbonisation is essential to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Therefore, it’s not surprising that emerging decarbonisation technology is becoming an increasingly important, and rapidly growing market.”
CSI: How can your IT estate improve its sustainability?
Andy Dunn, Chief Revenue Officer at IT solutions specialist CSI, reveals how digital technologies can contribute to ESG obligations: “Sustainability is a now seen as a strategic business imperative, so much so that 74% of companies consider Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors to be very important to the value of their company. Additionally, we know almost three in four organisations have set a net zero goal. With an average target date of 2044, 50% of organisations are seeking more energy efficient products and services.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsDaZiSO1ho
“Optimising energy use and consolidating servers and storage infrastructure form a strong basis for shaping a more environmentally friendly and efficient IT estate. It no longer needs to be the Achilles Heel of an ESG policy. “
Mia Platform: Sustainable Cloud Computing
Davide Bianchi, Senior Technical Lead at Mia Platform, explores the silver lining of sustainable cloud computing. He reveals how it can help us reduce our digital carbon thumbprint with collaboration, efficient use of applications, containerisation of apps, microservices and green partnerships.
“We’re already on an important technological path toward ubiquitous cloud computing. Correspondingly, this brings incredible long-term benefits too. These include greater scalability, improved data storage, and quicker application deployment, to name a few.”
Also in this issue, we hear from Doug Laney, Innovation Fellow at West Monroe and author of Infonomics and Data Juice. Also, we learn how companies can measure, manage and monetise to realise the potential of their data. And, Deputy CIO Melvin Brown discusses the people-centric approach to IT supporting America’s civil service at The Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
Jolyon Bennett, CEO of Juice, discusses how sustainability has moved to the forefront of his organisation’s operations
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A green approach is quickly transitioning away something that is ‘nice to have’ to an essential component of a company’s strategy.
To Jolyon Bennett, who heads up UK tech accessories manufacturer Juice, being environmentally friendly is non-negotiable. Bennett has transformed the mobile phone accessories sector, having consistently introduced a series of quality, vibrant and consumer-focused products to market, ranging from portable power banks through to super-fast chargers.
He takes us under the bonnet of his firm’s sustainability drive.
You have recently removed all single-use plastic from your entire product range – why?
Jolyon Bennett (JB): “Why wouldn’t you? Single-use plastic is one of the biggest polluters in manufacturing – it uses 3% of the entire planet’s oil consumption. This year, it’s forecast that there will be 50kg of plastic waste for every single one of the eight billion human beings on planet earth – that’s a lot! Consumers, manufacturers and brand owners like myself all need to get on board with the fact that we’re going to need to use and re-use plastic packaging to make different things.
“Why have we done it? Because it’s totally the right thing to do. We need to stop making so much plastic and we need start reusing what we’ve already got. We need to stop cutting down trees in order to make paper and cardboard – let the trees grow and re-use what we’ve got. It just makes sense on a planetary level to stop consuming quite so much and start being just a bit more content with what we’ve got. Why do we need to make ‘new new new’ all the time?”
What have you used instead of virgin plastic?
JB: “We’re reusing, reusing, reusing. Did you know that recycled plastic – depending on its quality and density – can be recycled and re-used between seven and 200 times. Isn’t that unbelievable? It’s such an amazing material. Plastic is a vibe, and we should be re-using it. Juice is using post-consumer waste such as Evian bottles to make speakers, old milk cartons to make power banks and so much more!”
Why do you love plastic?
JB: “I just think we’ve got a lot of it so why not reuse it? I admire the material because it’s so durable – it’s an incredible scientific breakthrough to be able to make something that’s not only waterproof and heatproof but lasts for up to 3,000 years. There are so many different elements that make plastic a great material. I would prefer it if we didn’t have any, but that’s not going to solve the current (and ever-growing) problem of plastic waste finding its way into our oceans, and burying it isn’t the answer either. The problem is with us humans is that we just shy away from the truth – l don’t want to shy away, I want to face these problems head on and meet the challenge.”
Has Juice taken a financial hit to make this happen?
JB: “As an example, we sell around three million cables a year (based on last year’s figures) and each piece of packaging that we are making using post-consumer waste costs us between $0.15 and $0.25 more, so as a minimum, our increased cost for doing this is almost half a million dollars. But I still think it’s the right thing to do. Money is made up – the world could end and money would no longer matter, so let’s stop making decisions based purely on money and let’s start making decisions based on the right thing to do.”
How do you rate the overall quality of the ‘Eco’ products compared to the ones they have superseded?
JB: “There is absolutely no difference whatsoever, so I rate them just as highly.”
Do customers really want these eco products or is this more for your own conscience?
JB: “I don’t suffer from guilt so in that respect I don’t feel driven by my conscience to do this – doing the right thing has its own gravity and its own way of whisking you forward. Generally, I believe that people and businesses that do the right things will prosper. I’m a firm believer in the philosophy of ‘do the right thing and good things will happen’ so it’s a strategic choice to do something that has a positive impact because positive things attract positive things. While not every consumer or every retailer is especially interested in our sustainability drive, I do think this is shifting slightly. Maybe I do have a conscience, but the reality is that it’s the right thing to do, and the right thing gets rewarded in the end.”
Are retailers keen to stock them?
JB: “We haven’t given them a choice! We changed all of our products because we wanted to and we are adamant that even though the materials we are using are different, our products still perform just as well, if not better.”
Should other tech brands follow suit?
JB: “Of course they should, and we would happily help them do so. We’re willing to introduce other tech brands to our suppliers and guide them through the same process we’ve taken, sharing our knowledge – including the hurdles we’ve overcome – because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t understand why any brand would want to continue producing virgin plastic when they don’t have to, it just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
What advice would you give to other brands wanting to embark on this process of removing single-use plastic from their products?
JB: “Do it. Stop messing about – get on with it and do it. Although it may cost you a bit more in the short term, we’ve proven that consumers do generally buy more of your products if you are making the right decisions towards the environment, so you will reap this extra cost back whilst also doing the right thing.”
What is next for Juice?
JB: “I want Juice to be a brand that limits its impact. We’re currently doing this with our manufacturing and through our supply chain and the way that we conduct ourselves in general. I want to start releasing products that have a positive impact on humans as well as the planet – I’m a firm believer that everyone can win. There will always be a demand for technology, so I don’t believe that we should be fighting against it, however, I would very much like to see people taking their technology off grid.
“My dream is to be able to take every mobile phone on planet earth off grid and start generating our own personal electricity. I want to create products that link to your activity – imagine if you could run 5k and the kinetic activity could generate enough energy to a charge a device such as a phone or a laptop while you do it? I’m interested in organic solutions to current chemical problems such as organic battery cells using salt water and algae as a storage method of electricity – so much so that we’re currently in discussions with a photosynthesis harvesting electronics brand about using photosynthesis as a charging capability!
“I want to get more connected with nature and I think you can have it all – I think we can still enjoy modern technology as well as the beautiful world around us. If we can utilise our intelligence in the right way, we can all live in a perfectly harmonious symbiotic relationship with amazing technology products and a sustainable environment for all wildlife.”
Sara Malconian, Chief Procurement Officer at Harvard University & Jim Bureau, CEO of JAGGAER explain how ESG & the Circular Economy is changing the evolution of procurement.
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We speak to Sara Malconian, Chief Procurement Officer at Harvard University and Jim Bureau, CEO of JAGGAER to see how ESG and the Circular Economy is changing the evolution of procurement…
Sara, how have you seen your role evolve as a procurement leader over the years as ESG and supplier diversity come into focus?
Procurement leaders have gone from ‘cost cutters’ to ‘problem solvers’ within their organisations. Our core mandates used to be to drive cost savings and efficiency. We were hyper-focused on getting the most out of the organisation’s spend and supplier relationships. Those priorities haven’t gone away, especially in today’s inflationary environment, but the expectations of the procurement function are significantly higher and broader today.
Procurement functions saved their companies during COVID and the confluence of disruptions that followed. We showed we are a strategic linchpin. We are now looked upon to drive value and impact and strategically guide our organisations to achieve broader goals, including diversity and environmental, social, governance (ESG). Internal stakeholders realised the benefits of procurement and sought help with advancing their department’s agendas or solving their challenges. We listen to their needs, allocate the right resources, and ultimately enable them and the overall organisation to be successful.
I’ve been in procurement for over 20 years, and I can honestly say you’d be hard-pressed to find a more rewarding and exciting career. Procurement professionals have a real opportunity to make a tangible difference within their organisations, communities, and the world through the way we source products and services.
What is Harvard doing to have a positive impact on society? Can you share some examples, Sara?
Across the Harvard community, students, alumni, faculty, and staff are advancing scholarship and teaching on the world’s most significant challenges, and everyone wants to do their part to address inequities. Supplier diversity and inclusion have been a priority for Harvard for years, but we wanted to make even more of an impact and really invest in the growth and development of diverse businesses, especially as the pandemic highlighted inequities and disparities within our communities.
In 2021, we formed the Office for Economic Inclusion & Diversity (OEID), which is dedicated to reaching out to diverse suppliers, giving them opportunities, and providing them with tools, training, and resources to be successful. The office also encourages the use of underrepresented business enterprises (UBEs) in the purchasing of all goods, services, and construction at Harvard and standardises procurement practices with these businesses across the university.
We’re proud of the work this office is doing. We’re actively training suppliers on Harvard’s policies and how they can work with us. We’re creating a central location for them to access bid and RFP opportunities. UBEs can also apply to be mentored by Harvard Business School students.
We’ve created a dashboard to track and analyse spend with diverse suppliers across all of Harvard’s schools and measure progress over time. Everything we’re doing is aimed at increasing spend with our existing diverse suppliers, as well as the number of diverse suppliers that work with Harvard, and helping these suppliers grow their businesses.
Jim, why is prioritizing ESG and supplier diversity important and what steps can companies take today to progress in their journey?
Beyond being the right thing to do, investors, boards, regulators, customers, and employees now expect organisations to prioritise ESG and diversity initiatives and walk the talk. There’s also a clear business impact. Supplier diversity drives competitive bidding processes that lead to cost savings. Working with partners who are sustainable and have different ideas and perspectives fuels innovation and creates a competitive advantage. Sourcing from a sustainable and diverse supplier pool also reduces risk by broadening organisations’ access to multiple resources for various materials, products, and services.
One of the most critical steps companies can take to progress on their ESG journey is to make it clear to suppliers that environmentalism is a priority for their organisation. They will attract suppliers with higher levels of ESG maturity and provide suppliers who are earlier on in their ESG journey with sustainability toolkits and training to help educate them on eco-friendly best practices and sustainability innovations.
This step avoids having to overhaul their supply chain to account for ESG. Strategically managing suppliers by leveraging third-party data, scorecards, and supplier audits are crucial for understanding the ESG risks that suppliers pose and minimizing disruptions by working with them to correct these issues.
Successful supplier diversity programs start with a top-down culture shift. If a company’s culture isn’t diverse, inclusive, and supportive for all its stakeholders, they won’t be able to drive supplier diversity in a meaningful way. Supplier diversity strategy should map back to company goals and include an executive-level champion to sponsor the program internally and help bring in the resources they need.
Outside of leveraging technology to identify diverse suppliers and build a program, businesses can talk with people who have been in their shoes. They can collaborate with like-minded companies at industry events, engage in relevant LinkedIn groups, and connect with organisations such as the National Minority Supplier Development Council.
Once diverse suppliers are on board, organisations can create a supplier diversity policy that clearly outlines how many diverse suppliers need to be invited to bid for each event to ensure teams are executing on the strategy. Leading supplier diversity programs go beyond simply spending with diverse suppliers to providing mentorship and training them on how to respond to RFPs correctly, as well as creating environments where it’s easier for them to engage.
Jim, what role does technology play in helping organisations achieve ESG and supplier diversity goals?
Technology is a key enabler of ESG and supplier diversity initiatives. One of the biggest obstacles to supplier diversity and ESG is a lack of reliable supplier data. Suppliers don’t always keep their information up to date in self-service portals. The data procurement teams have isn’t always enriched to the level they need, with insights on diversity status, certifications, and proof of ESG compliance.
Researching and assessing suppliers is tedious and time-consuming, which leads many organisations to skip the verification step. Without this information, organisations don’t have a true picture of the inclusivity and sustainability of their supplier network, which makes it impossible to identify the right partners to source from to meet their ESG and supplier diversity goals and make an impact.
Technology addresses this challenge by automatically collecting, enriching, validating, and integrating the supplier data needed to obtain this level of supply base visibility and make decisions that drive ESG and diversity. AI-powered tools are available to match buyers with specific diverse suppliers who also have the capabilities to help drive ESG objectives and meet broader procurement criteria.
Software that segments the supply base and helps visualise spending with small and diverse suppliers across a variety of classifications is critical for setting benchmarks and measuring progress and ROI.
Jim and Sara, how do you expect the ESG and diversity conversation to shift and where should procurement leaders focus for the future?
Sara: I expect we’ll see the conversation shift to emphasise measurement. It’s not enough anymore to say you’re committed to ESG – you need to prove it and show demonstrable progress and ROI. Maintaining the momentum on ESG initiatives is hard. Technology is key for setting benchmarks and goals, ensuring accountability for hitting key milestones, and measuring progress and return in a credible way.
Jim: In a declining economic environment, choices inevitably need to be made. I expect the conversation around ESG will center around where companies can focus to maintain progress on ESG initiatives as financial and economic pressures come to the forefront. While some companies may need to scale back in some areas to preserve cash and resources to navigate a downturn, I’d advise them to be careful about slowing ESG down too much as it will be much harder to catch up to current levels after the economy bounces back.
I’d argue that when ESG is done right it can be a strategic lever for navigating a down economy, saving organizations money and resources, driving innovation, and helping them achieve broader business objectives and resilience.
Research reveals that millennials would be willing to take a pay cut to work in a nicer office; and also consider quitting if their workplace is either outdated or inefficient…
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Today, smart buildings are becoming more dynamic and tailored to individual requirements, specifically within the office space. And with Gartner predicting that the greatest source of competitive advantage for 30% of organisations over the next few years will be their ability to creatively exploit the digital workplace, the pressure is on for businesses and building owners alike to invest in the latest technologies and techniques to provide even better user experiences.
Employee Expectations
Research reveals that millennials would be willing to take a pay cut to work in a nicer office; and also consider quitting if their workplace is either outdated or inefficient. Employers need to keep up with the rapidly changing demands of employees in order to stay competitive when attracting and retaining talent.
To achieve this, workspaces are now becoming more ‘aware’ through an ecosystem that allows buildings to dynamically adjust to the requirements of users through the convergence of IT and Operational Technology (OT) such as building management systems, energy and space management. There is an expectation in place that facilities and building management firms will adapt to meet employee expectations; if not, then they will fall behind.
Collaboration and Productivity
Many companies are leading the way with shared office facilities and hot desks on a part-time or multi-lease basis. With desk layouts developed by algorithms, companies are responding to the demand for mobility and flexible consumption in the modern digital workspace. By configuring open and closed spaces through noise-absorbing fabrics and glass doors, buildings are providing the privacy of individual offices within an open plan setup, meaning that staff no longer need to be confined by physical walls.
Furthermore, data can be collected about user movements, machinery condition, energy usage and other activities within the building that can be used to optimise the user experience and enhance collaborative processes further. For example, mobile phone controlled AV screens, wafer-thin sensors that can detect occupancy and trigger the air conditioning system, ongoing measurement of internal environmental conditions including temperature, humidity and CO2, and indoor mapping and navigation platforms.
Sustainability
With 72% of office workers revealing that a sustainable environment is important to them, embracing this new movement has become a competitive necessity. Through clever environmental design which optimises space, consumption and resources, smart offices can reduce the overall environmental impact and save money and resources along the way. From autonomous energy systems that shut off heating and lighting when rooms are vacant to systems that monitor and optimise the use of water and electricity, these offices can identify their most wasteful aspects and also lessen the pressure on the national grid.
Making the Business Case
Smart buildings in themselves are opening up new revenue streams. But the cost of IoT implementation may be perceived as a barrier to its adoption and development. Many smart offices are built from scratch so existing workplaces need to be retrofitted with technology. And although there is an upfront investment or cost to retrofit an existing building, once installed, additions such as optimised lighting make running these spaces much more cost-effective to the building owner.
The Role of the MSP
Managed Service Providers have a valuable potential role to play beyond providing Digital Communications and collaborative infrastructure including high speed internet lines, Wi-Fi and cloud based collaboration technology such as Microsoft Teams. The MSP can work with an emerging ecosystem of expert IoT infrastructure, device and applications companies to deploy IoT sensor devices, capture and flow data to cloud based applications for insight and action. The MSP can become the agent of new efficiency gains for buildings and their users, generating new income streams and increasing user satisfaction.
Conclusion
People are the largest investment of an organisation, and as new technologies evolve to make their lives easier and safer, it is important to look at which technologies, strategies and approaches will create the most positive, productive and efficient impact for your office and users. IoT technologies, effectively overlayed and combined with existing digital infrastructure and collaboration initiatives, potentially deliver new data insight to further improve and enhance the intelligent workspace and productivity. An ecosystem of expert IoT companies working with incumbent MSPs can be an effective design, deployment and management mechanism for tapping into the intelligent workspace opportunity.
Charities in the UK are reaping the rewards from GoPoolit – the world’s first social media for good
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GoPoolit, which was founded in the United Kingdom over the COVID-19 lockdown by fundraising professionals with decades of experience, provides a new income stream for charities through the thing the world engages with the most: social media.
Instead of prompting users to post ‘asks’ and lobby for funds on behalf of charities, GoPoolit users are encouraged to show off the creativity that they do on their usual social networks.
Users will talk about their lives, celebrate their achievements, and most likely, post adorable photos of their pets. When doing so, users nominate a charity to their post and share it across all their usual social networks from the GoPoolit platform.
Instead of a ‘like’, their friends, family and followers on GoPoolit have the opportunity to pool between 1-10p to that post, and therefore, that charity.
The more viral users go, the more opportunity there is to raise hundreds of thousands in pocket-sized donations for causes close to their hearts – simply by doing what they already do.
During these uncertain times, like most industries, charities and the third sector have been feeling an immense amount of pressure. In previous years, conventional methods of fundraising have faltered. A new, innovative approach has struggled to fill that void – until now.
There is an equal demand from social media users for a new platform focused on social good. According to the Pew Research Center, almost two-thirds of Americans think that social media has a mostly negative impact on the state of their country.
With users becoming increasingly disengaged with the policies and practices of many platforms, GoPoolit is the perfect chance to hit the reset button on their digital lives and use social media for good.
On the GoPoolit website and app, users can post their usual social media content in support of charities such as World Vision, SOS Children’s Villages, Habitat for Humanity and many more.
Matt Turner, Director of Communications for GoPoolit…
“Imagine if every post you ever made on Facebook or Twitter could be monetised into micro-donations for a cause you care deeply about.
In the months and years to come, we are confident that GoPoolit will become a part of millions of people’s everyday lives – and joining today means you’ll be able to say that you were there from the start.
Sometimes, the smallest gestures can collectively have the biggest impact – so join thousands of others who believe that their social media posts can be a cause for good in the world today!”
Cities are increasingly, and massively, depending on water technology as sea levels continue to rise…
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Water is the elephant in the room. As the IDTechEx report, “Smart Cities Market 2021-2041: Energy, Food, Water, Materials, Transportation Forecasts”, explains, cities increasingly and massively depend on water technology as sea levels rise and for other reasons. They will eliminate sewage systems by treating it where it is produced. Gone are thirsty, traditional agriculture systems, and their global supply chains.
Stop killing the sea
Currently, cities are killing the sea that is increasingly near to them. Dead ocean areas are spreading. They do this with untreated sewerage, salt from desalination plants, chemicals from factories, leisure activities, marine vessels, and farm runoff of toxins and fertilizer. Instead, they must farm the sea and maintain biodiversity and create benign marine tourism and leisure activities. Methods of distributing salt from desalination without killing anything do now exist, but deployment is slow.
Cities on the sea
Smart cities are planned at sea and on reclaimed land as at Forest City Malaysia, which promises a veritable jungle with “sounds of nature” and all that greenery self-watering. You can buy a DND house on and under the sea in Dubai.
Independence
Cities will make all their own food, fresh water, and electricity for reasons of empowerment, security, and cost. That electricity-making is even pivoting to water with tidal turbines installed from Scotland to the Hudson River in New York and wave power, both being almost continuous and using almost none of the steel and concrete that produces 16% of global warming. Take a few hours to drop them in – not 10 years as for hydro dams. Part of the reason for water power is that there is less and less land for wind turbines and solar farms. Indeed, silicon solar works better cold, so it is migrating to sea or lake as floatavoltaics. New photovoltaic materials are even useful underwater, and photovoltaic paint is on the way, as explained in the IDTechEx report, “Materials Opportunities in Emerging Photovoltaics 2020-2040”.
Leaders in tidal power such as Simec Atlantis and Verdant Power have more and more companies chasing them. You can say the same for wave power leaders such as Seabased, Wello, and Eco Wave. Even ORPC RivGen horizontal axis water turbines are proving viable in shallow rivers, and they do not disturb fish. Most water power is virtually continuous – no massive batteries. See the IDTechEx report, “Distributed Generation: Off-Grid Zero-Emission kW-MW 2020-2040”.
Leisure and freight on water
Obviously, cities will focus more of their leisure industry and freight transport on the water. See the IDTechEx report, “Electric Leisure & Sea-going Boats and Ships 2021-2040”. IDTechEx sees several ways that even large ships can become zero-emission when today they each pollute as much as millions of cars. At the other extreme, Swiss Seabubble aquaplaning water taxis are zero-emission, charged by small river turbines under the landing platform. They are planned for Paris.
Smart agriculture
Today’s farming systems on land gulp water and boost global warming. They are replaced by vertical farming (see the IDTechEx report, “Vertical Farming 2020-2030”), solar greenhouses, hydroponics in buildings, aquaponics and saline agriculture in marshes as sea levels rise. Genetic agriculture will save water. See the IDTechEx report, “Genetic Technologies in Agriculture 2020-2030: Forecasts, Markets, Technologies”. Meat and milk will be grown in city laboratories, and managing with one percent of the fresh water will become commonplace. See the IDTechEx report, “Plant-based and Cultivated Meat 2020-2030”.
Soliculture greenhouses on rooftops and elsewhere are adopting smart glass that provides electricity for the robots as well as optimally growing the plants again with almost no water. Robotic food cultivation is integrated with human facilities in parts of China, saving space and water.
Fish farming and barley, samphire, seaweed, and other vegetable growing in saline water is a done deal back to the ancient Sumerians, but it is necessarily broadening in scope as global warming and people moving to cities makes land even more scarce. The amazing thing is that there is a roadmap of many options to go even further. For example, aquaponics uses even less land than hydroponics, and it costs less. This is growing fish and vegetables in one closed system, the fish excrement feeding the plants.
Smart gardening
Some are planning turf that produces electricity as well as tapping and filtering rainwater for use. Xeriscaping is appearing in smart cities. It is the process of landscaping or gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water from irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and is gaining acceptance in other regions as access to irrigation water is becoming limited. Xeriscaping is an alternative to various types of traditional gardening in necessarily frugal smart cities.
On the other hand, the trend to multi-purposing even extends to damp turf, vegetation, and soil. Plant-e is a company that develops products that can generate electricity from living plants, and Harvard University has biofuel cells using such fuels.
Smart water transport
Transport systems are reinvented for smart cities, and necessarily, Hyperloop shooting passengers from city to city by magnetic levitation in a vacuum and Boring Company Loop shooting autonomous cars at high speed across cities will increasingly be tubes in sea, lake or river for at least part of the way. That even saves money. Autonomous underwater vehicles are zero-emission and they monitor offshore wind turbines, sea-floor mining, fish stocks, and more. Leisure submarines anyone – as taxis too?
Thirsty desert cities
The largest challenge of the $0.5 trillion NEOM smart city in the Saudi Arabian desert is drinking water – all desalinated from the sea. See the IDTechEx report, “Desalination: Off Grid Zero Emission 2018-2028”. The Bill Gates Belmont desert city in Arizona is nowhere near the sea, and the state gets its water from the Colorado River, which is drying up. By far its biggest challenge is water. It has to guarantee 100 years’ supply to be allowed to start. Arizona-based startup Zero Mass Water’s SOURCE photovoltaic panels make electricity but also use the sun’s rays to pull water from the air. Each panel has the potential to draw up to 10 litres (2.64 gallons) of water per day. That will help, but all the sources still leave that city with severe water conservation requirements.
Here is one. Bill Gates has proven from his investments that the elimination of sewage distribution and treatment farms is coming when it is treated at the source. That saves huge amounts of water. One new toilet has an electrochemical reactor that can break down water and human waste into fertilizer for fields and hydrogen, which can be stored in hydrogen fuel cells as a green energy source. Even the little water used is treated enough to reuse for flushing or for irrigation.
IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced on Monday that it has set up a US$2 billion green investments programme…
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The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced on Monday that it has set up a US$2 billion green investments programme (GIP) to invest in public market investment strategies that have a strong green focus.
This will help to support the Singapore financial centre in promoting environmentally sustainable projects and mitigating climate change risks in Singapore and the region.
The GIP is a major prong of the
green finance action plan announced by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister of Education,
and Board Member, MAS at the 2019 Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) x Singapore
Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH). The GIP aims to foster the growth
of a strong and diverse ecosystem of green financing capabilities in Singapore.
MAS will place funds with asset managers who are committed to drive regional green efforts out of Singapore and contribute to MAS’ other green finance initiatives including developing green markets and managing environmental risks.
Selected managers will be those who have demonstrated a firm commitment to deepening their green investment capabilities across functions such as research, stewardship, policy and portfolio management, accelerate local capability transfers, and increase the management of green-focused funds in Singapore.
The green capabilities and experience of the team managing the strategies will be a key part of the evaluation. The deep engagement with these asset managers will help to further the development of Singapore’s green financing ecosystem, as well as strengthen MAS’ understanding of climate change risks and to better position MAS’ own investment portfolio for long-term sustainable returns.
MAS’ first
investment under the GIP will be a US$100m placement in the Bank for
International Settlements (BIS)’ Green Bond Investment Pool (GBIP). Together
with other participating central banks, MAS hopes that this initiative will
help catalyse further deepening of the green bond market.
The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) and the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) will come together for the first…
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The Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) and the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) will come together for the first time as SFF x SWITCH.
Running from 11 to 15 November,
this event will gather the global innovation and business community in
Singapore. There will be over 400 speakers, more than 900 exhibitors, 41
international pavilions, and about 60,000 participants from 130 countries.
Sustainability and climate change are the overarching themes of the combined conference this year, given the growing calls for the technology and financial sectors to be enablers and change agents for sustainability.
This theme is reflected in the
content of the conference, the design of the event space at the Singapore Expo
and through the provision of food from sustainable sources, with a sustainable
dining menu featuring the Impossible Beef rendang pizza.
The inaugural SFF x SWITCH will
feature innovative technologies across five key sectors – FinTech, Urban
Solutions and Sustainability, Health and Biomedical Sciences, Advanced
Manufacturing and Engineering, and Services and Digital Services – to catalyse
cross-industry exchange and learning in technology adoption, application of
R&D, and commercialisation of new solutions.
Debuting this year is the Sustainability,
Finance and Tech Summit (11-13 November), featuring over 50 speakers
who will take the stage to discuss how they are paving the way for a more
sustainable future in the world of finance and beyond.
The annual Global
Investor Summit (11 November) will bring together 17 venture capital,
corporate venture capital and family office investors from San Francisco to
Tokyo, to share their strategies for unlocking growth, impacting inclusion, and
delivering long-term value creation in the FinTech and Deep Tech ecosystems.
Leading the Deep Tech
conference, the Global Access to Innovation track (11 November)
will feature perspectives from a myriad of movers and shakers in Asia’s
innovation ecosystem. From founders of tech unicorns to senior leaders from
both the private and public sectors, conference participants can look forward
to finding out more about the opportunities in market access, innovation and
investment, in Asia and beyond.
A new summit created this year
to spotlight key issues faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is SME
Digitalisation and Platforms – Business sans Borders (BSB) (13
November). The sessions in this track will cover pertinent issues such as ‘SME
Financing Reimagined’, the ‘Impact of Trade Wars on SMEs and Platforms’ as well
as the ‘Roadmap for BSB Beyond 2020’. The discussions will take place at a new
Coral Triangle stage, which is designed for more intimate and interactive
conversations.
Latest whitepaper provides detailed study of benefits and challenges for smart buildings and city management and highlights methodology to effectively…
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Latest whitepaper provides detailed
study of benefits and challenges for smart buildings and city management and
highlights methodology to effectively address associated security risks
Axis Communications, the market leader in network video technology, has today
announced the release of its latest whitepaper, Smart Buildings
& Smart Cities Security. Authored in association with
Virtually Informed and Unified Security, the whitepaper is the third in a
series looking at specific aspects of security and provides an in depth review
of the topic, addresses key questions and, importantly, provides
recommendations that must be considered if the smart promise is to become a
reality.
Against the global backdrop of population growth,
the strain on limited resources and climate change, there is a growing demand
for businesses and governments around the world to deliver significant
improvements in the way our cities and the buildings within them are managed.
The promise of future cities and buildings built around a smart vision to
reduce waste, drive efficiencies and optimise resources is a prodigious one
with many inherent challenges, not least, security.
Smart technology enables the collection and
analysis of data to create actionable and automated events that will streamline
operations. To deliver this at far greater scale means bringing together a
large number of very different systems and empowering them to communicate
freely with access to important and often sensitive data. Device
interoperability will be a crucial component of its success but to have full
confidence in the way that these diverse ecosystems operate together, and to
ultimately cede important decision-making to them, stakeholders must be fully
confident in the security of the systems.
The proliferation of IoT devices has witnessed in
parallel an exponential increase in the number of threat exposures and attack
vectors, that put in jeopardy the systems that our smart cities and buildings
will rely on. With an ever-increasing number of cyber breaches and a common
acknowledgment that ‘you are only as strong as your weakest link’, it is
important that cybersecurity is considered and evaluated throughout the whole
supply chain to protect data, maintain privacy and keep risk associated with
cyber threats to a minimum. This process should always start by looking at
device security and the vendors’ cyber maturity.
Managing cybersecurity in environments of this
scale involves drawing up thorough risk assessments that go right back through
the supply chain. Identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating the potential for
damage that they could cause. Axis’Smart Buildings
& Smart Cities Security whitepaper topics
include:
Smart cities and
why we need them – Smart cities are increasingly playing a significant role in
meeting today’s resource and population challenges
Smart and
intelligent technology – Smart devices, systems, buildings and cities
defined – questions and issues around existing definitions are addressed
Roles and
responsibilities – Review stakeholder roles and security risk management to better
understand the security issues associated with smart building systems
Security challenges – Threat
vectors are vast and varied with increasing levels of sophistication;
understand the vulnerabilities, technologies and standards to be applied
Recommendations – Getting
started; security standards and frameworks; product strategy, system and
solution security; supply and purchasing; and converged operations.
The associated disruption as a result of a
cybersecurity breach of a smart system could be catastrophic. At a minimum, it
would cause system downtime and impact its ability to operate. The loss of
personal data or IP may also damage reputation, impact a company’s share price
or even cause actual physical harm. Ensuring that converged security becomes a
vital component of this rapidly changing paradigm is of critical importance;
safety and security must be at the heart of the shared ambitions for a smarter
environment.
Steven Kenny, Industry Liaison, Architecture and
Engineering at Axis Communications commented:
“At Axis we are passionate about using technology to help create a smarter and
safer world. We also believe that technology should be used in an ethical and
responsible way. You might say that this whitepaper reflects the very values of
our business in that, used responsibly and with security front and centre,
smart technology will help us address the big challenges of our time.
Increasing efficiencies is vital in meeting carbon reduction targets and
avoiding climate catastrophe. The smart vision provides a strong basis for
economic growth and improved quality of life. We greatly admire the work that
Virtually Informed and Unified Security are doing to help ensure that the
worlds of physical and cyber security are aligned and working together to
achieve a common goal of increased safety and security for all.”
The whitepaper’s two authors have impressive
credentials. James Willison is the founder of Unified Security Ltd and one of
IFSEC Global’s top 20 Security thought leaders in the world. Sarb Sembhi is the
CTO and CISO at Virtually Informed and has contributed on security projects for
the likes of the London Chamber of Commerce and the Internet of Things Security
Foundation. Mr. Sembhi also sits on the editorial board of SC magazine.
Interface hears from Andersen EV’s co-founder and technical director David Simpson on how the design-led start-up is harnessing the tech…
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Interface hears from Andersen EV’s co-founder and technical director David Simpson on how the design-led start-up is harnessing the tech to bring smart electric vehicle charging to the residential market.
Andersen EV was born of its founders’ frustration at the lack of
smart, and stylish, home charging systems for electric vehicles. Back in 2015,
technical director David Simpson (and his co-founders Mandy Simpson and Jérôme
Faissat) could
see the potential to build a business in tune with the ramp in e-car and hybrid
vehicle sales.
“We saw a real lack of innovation in home charging,” recalls
Simpson, who was keen for the company to find its niche utilising cutting edge
design with high-quality materials. “Our business is built on three pillars… Design
is paramount, we’re not making a futuristic car gadget with flashing lights,
it’s an architectural accessory and one that should be discreet. The second
pillar is technology. Both Jérôme and I have worked in the IT industry and
appreciate what’s needed to bring the advances in commercial charging to the
residential market. The third important factor is that we’re proud to be a
British business developing products sustainably. We’re not contributing to a
throw-away culture, our boxes are upgradeable.”
The big technological challenge for Andersen EV was how to bring smart
charging to a consumer audience in a way that isn’t complex to use. “It should be just like setting up your Apple TV or your Google
Chrome card so we’ve aimed for a user-friendly way of setting up your charge
point to the cloud,” explains Simpson. “We’re also keen to develop features
that build a service for customers who are asking: How can I charge faster? How
can I charge more efficiently? We want to help them navigate the smart energy
landscape and build on machine learning to make more user-friendly, economic
products.”
Simpson explains the ‘Andersen difference’ is about
setting expectations and exceeding them with transparency across the board – from
pre-sales to installation via user experience and customer support. “We’ve
tried to build on American standards,” he adds. “We’ve assembled a whole API
spec which means you can plug our products into a smart home and simplify the
smart energy experience. They are accessible to our customer to control and
monitor via a range of devices – iOS, Android, Alexa etc – using our Konnect
app. It’s key to tracking energy costs, aiding smart energy use at the right
time of day and integrating with solar power systems to avoid use of the grid.”
Simpson notes
there are still big eco challenges for electric vehicles to overcome… “A Tesla,
for example, is 45% efficient from energy source out of the ground to forward
motion – with all the wastage throughout the manufacturing process, wind
resistance and transmitting energy across power lines it’s just 45%. And with
wireless charging, when you can’t be bothered to plug the vehicle in to a
charge unit, you’ll lose 10% of power so it’s only 90% efficient operationally.”
Simpson points out it might not sound much of a sacrifice but if a whole street
is doing that it clearly indicates a challenge for the EV industry to address
to boost its eco credentials. Which is where he feels the Andersen difference
can make an actual difference today. With the benefits of wireless charging
perhaps five years away, Simpson identifies the emerging trends of vehicle to
grid, local battery storage and the integration with solar as vital to the
progression of the home EV market. “You might not be able to have an oil
refinery at the bottom of your garden but you can generate enough electricity
for the journeys you need to make,” he adds.
Andersen EV has recently partnered with Novo Energy – a leading
energy consultant to some of the UK’s largest companies delivering energy
purchasing, energy management, energy regulation, energy construction and
sustainability polices – to deliver smart energy and green air into its
charging units. Allied to this, Simpson is excited to be on the road to
certification with three major car manufacturers. “Our boxes have a real synergy with some of the premium automotive
brands,” he says. “We already have many of their customers coming to us
indirectly because the key message we offer is customisation. All we do is live
and breathe charging but the car manufacturers have other challenges, which has
created an opportunity for us.”
More than just a pretty box, Simpson stresses a charge point is a
mission critical item. He’s proud the industrial grade electronics and PCBs
found in Andersen EV products are all designed in house and manufactured in the
UK, guaranteeing that the supply chain delivers the correct parts to the
highest quality standards. But what about when the supply chain can’t deliver
what you need? One of the biggest challenges for the company was finding a
cable with the necessary flex but still capable of sustaining heat to charge.
To meet its particular specifications the Simpson collaborated with a UK supplier
to design his own bespoke Evoflek cable for the wall mounted A2 unit. Next,
he’s keen to develop a motorised winder for the cable for winding and
unwinding.
The tech behind the finished product is bespoke too: “Every time
we upgrade Konnect, we’re giving our customers more from their hardware,”
pledges Simpson. With a lot of customers keen to make the most of that hardware
and charge faster, Andersen EV will be standardising its boxes (such as the
forthcoming floor mounted untethered P1) to be future proof at 22kw, allowing speed
benefits for those who want to get their home electricity supply upgraded to 3-Phase.
Its customers are already ahead of the curve with 20% upgrading against a UK
average of 1-2% of homes 3-Phase equipped.
Conservative forecasts estimate 140 million electric vehicles on
our roads by 2030 so the potential market for Andersen EV is huge. It’s a sign
of the times that vehicle manufacturers are approaching Simpson and his team to
meet the needs of a market set to expand massively from the four million EVs
currently in use. Simpson believes the transition will be rapid and that over the
next ten years consumers won’t consider buying anything else. He cites the
price per kilowatt of battery power down from $750 in 2011 to just $140 today
as indicative of dynamics changing.
“Our sales are up 25% each month,” reveals Simpson,
who expects the company to grow significantly over the next 12 months thanks to
£1.5m recently raised to fund European expansion. This will include working on
new models with the goal of finding a niche in the new build market to take
advantage of changes to European law which will increase the number of charge
points that must be made available on future developments.
Simpson believes the future challenge in the UK is around charging
more smartly and delivering a better user experience. “We’re looking into
developing a middle-ware software product that allows us to use the existing UK
infrastructure more effectively utilising machine learning to build proton
models for a more efficient charging experience. This would work for local
authorities and housing associations who want to install charge points but
can’t afford to dig up the streets everywhere.”
When it comes to keeping that business traffic flowing, what has
Simpson learnt during a varied career, including a stint at General Motors,
that will help Andersen EV stay in the right lane? “You shouldn’t build
something just because you can,” he warns. “If you’ve got a very complex
product with lots of features, it’s very hard to scale it. Therefore, part of
the thinking behind Andersen EV was to simplify the technology and develop
features beneficial to the greater good.” With the dynamics of the EV industry
changing fast, coupled with a ramp in eco tech, the smart money is on the
Andersen difference reaping rewards for Simpson and co.(
By Alan Gunner, Business Development Director, Adjuno. With the impact of our consumer society increasingly influencing purchasing behaviour, it is…
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By Alan Gunner, Business Development Director, Adjuno.
With the impact of our
consumer society increasingly influencing purchasing behaviour, it is clear
that there has been a shift in the need for sustainable supply chains. But this
is not a simple task – as political negotiations dominate the headlines, more
brands are seeking opportunities in new markets, which is having a considerable
impact on their carbon footprint.
As a result, it is now more
important than ever for companies to evaluate their logistics processes, not
only to reduce environmental impact, but also to reduce costs through increased
efficiency. To move forward and tackle the ethical issues, organisations need
to take control and focus on achieving full visibility. The implementation of
tracking tools will enable businesses to automatically capture the level of
carbon emissions that are produced as a result of the end-to-end supply chain
operations, from sourcing and procurement through to final delivery. With a
detailed level of information, brands are able to effectively see a reduction
in not only carbon emissions, but also in the spending associated with
transportation.
And by leveraging end to
end supply chain insight, more companies will also be able to track the source
of a product – this is particularly important when exploring new, unknown
markets. For example, from the type of tree to location and certification,
brands can ensure all the timber they use is sustainably sourced.
Additionally, enforcing
robust packaging standards across the global supply chain is beneficial to a
company’s CO2 levels. By insisting that suppliers use certain box
sizes and materials, pallet fill will be optimised and the number of items that
can be stored in a warehouse will be increased. This means that businesses will
require a reduced amount of containers and shipments, minimising the number of
journeys that will be made throughout the supply chain. This standardisation of
packaging and complete transparency of the supply chain will put companies in
the best position to demonstrate the provenance of their products and to assure
the consumer that they’re taking steps towards improving their environmental
credentials.
It is evident that
conscious consumerism is going to grow, therefore, in order to position
themselves as a leader businesses need to implement ethical practices across
the entire supply chain. By addressing these concerns and making the necessary
changes, companies will not only reduce the negative impacts new trading
locations will have on the environment, but will be able to improve the
perception of their brand.
A blog released by Amazon today has revealed the technology and distribution giant’s goal of delivering shipment zero for 50…
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A blog released by Amazon today has revealed the technology and distribution giant’s goal of delivering shipment zero for 50 percent of its shipments by 2030. The company’s blog discusses its history of sustainable investment and goes on to discuss how it plans to move towards its shipment zero target.
While on the topic of giants, JP Morgan analyses the finances of firms in the iPhone supply chain and has found that the month-to-month aggregate revenues for suppliers dropped by 24 percent, two percent more than the average in 2018. However, when balanced against year-on-year results, the company has said that this could be a sign of stabilisation for the iPhone supply chain.
Utah-based company, Visible,
has revealed its three-colour FFG folder gluer that’s designed to give the
small to medium enterprise (SME) the edge in the supply chain market. The FFG
delivers high-quality printing that reduces times and costs while assuring of
high-quality packaging. Still in the USA, Walmart’s
fourth quarter earnings showed that the company saw a 40% increase in eCommerce
sales but this growth had impacted its deliverables and last mile efficiencies.
In the UK, Honda has announced that it plans to close its Swindon vehicle manufacturing plant which currently employs around 3,500 people. The move comes as part of its restructure and focus on electrified cars and will see the company close the doors at the end of the current model’s production lifecycle in 2021.
Tesla’s CEO revealed that supply chain challenges were behind
production delays, lost deadlines and missed quotas. Elon Musk was quoted as
saying that Tesla was in ‘delivery logistics hell’ in a tweet to an
increasingly annoyed customer base. More on Reuters
as to what lies ahead for the automotive manufacturer.
Also in the news: IBM
Watson’s enhanced NAVIK AI platform has been integrated into Absolute Data to
improve insight mining; in spite of Brexit-powered brain drain, the UK’s
AI sector attracted record funding; AI4EU
– a 20 million Euro project funded under Horizon 2020 – has launched and
provides a collaborative platform for AI development; Google
announced its plans to focus on Africa for AI and machine learning innovations;
Professor Duncan
McFarlane weighs in on the Internet of Things for industry; and Cisco
estimates that there will be more than 12 billion connected devices by 2022.
