Data-Driven Sustainability: Microsoft's Path to a Greener Future

#AskTheCEO Podcast

One of the topics on everyone’s minds is sustainability. There are many public initiatives focused on it, and it’s gained a lot of popularity over the past several years. With that in mind, I had the pleasure of speaking with Gina Kirby, Senior Sustainability Specialist for the Americas at Microsoft, to better understand the challenges enterprises face with their sustainability initiatives, as well as Microsoft's approach to addressing sustainability. The key takeaways of the conversation are as follows: Challenges of Sustainability in Enterprises: Enterprises face several challenges when implementing sustainability initiatives, including aligning their goals with their values, effectively gathering and reporting on data, and establishing clear baselines from which they can measure progress. The Importance of Data in Achieving Sustainability Goals: Data plays a crucial role in helping businesses to attain their sustainability goals. It is important for companies to understand their starting point and the work they have ahead. However, the wealth of available information is often scattered across different sources, making it challenging to utilize effectively. Microsoft's Approach and Collaboration: Microsoft's approach to sustainability involves constant evaluation in key areas like carbon, water, waste, and biodiversity. They also collaborate with a rich partner ecosystem to supplement their efforts and knowledge across various industries, highlighting the importance of cooperation in achieving sustainability goals. Contact Gina: Web: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sustainability/cloud LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginakirby/ Twitter: @GKirby1 Customer Success Stories: https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/1440791749208958419-grupo-bimbo-consumer-goods-microsoft-cloud-for-sustainability Contact Avrohom: Web: https://asktheceo.biz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avrohom-gottheil/ Facebook: AvrohomGottheil Twitter: @avrohomg Instagram: @avrohomg INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS: [00:31] One of the topics on everyone’s minds is sustainability. As you know, there are many public initiatives focused on it, and it’s gained a lot of popularity over the past several years. What are some of the challenges enterprises face with their sustainability initiatives [01:24] What are some of the ways business go about attaining their sustainability goals? [03:54] What is Microsoft’s approach to address sustainability? [05:02] Can you share some case studies? [07:18] How can people connect with you to learn more about Microsoft's sustainability initiatives? [08:04] Do you have any parting words of wisdom to share with the audience? Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nj-XMDjSxD0