Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability: Catalyzing progress with our global partners

As organizations around the world, including Microsoft, prepare to tackle planet-sized challenges like net zero and water sustainability while meeting new reporting requirements, we’re following the wisdom of an age-old saying: “If you want to go further, work together.” We’ve found that using technology to drive sustainability progress sets off a continuum of benefits, including transformative decision-making, innovation, and better business outcomesand these are maximized through collaboration.  

We’re excited to introduce some of the amazing partners in our global partner ecosystem who stand ready to help organizations navigate sustainability challenges. These independent software vendors (ISVs), system integrators, and advisory partners from every industry can extend the capabilities of Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability and other industry clouds to meet the unique needs of customers in every region.  

Just as partners have helped Microsoft land our own sustainability ambitions and transform our business, trusted advisers likeAccenture,Avanade,Capgemini,EY,KPMG, and PwC are helping organizations everywhere plan, design, and implement strategies and robust solutions to enable transformation.

First-of-kind Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability solutions leading the way 

Avanade leveraged a specialized Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability solution for Synagro, North America’s largest recycler of organic by-products. Synagro needed a digital solution to enable a better understanding of its carbon emissions across its operational chain and ultimately lighten its impact on the 800 municipalities it serves. In six weeks, Avanade’s finished proof of concept pulled data, including biosolids, electricity, and fuel usage both at composting facilities and during transportation, into Microsoft Sustainability Managerresulting in a comprehensive view of Synagro’s carbon footprint.

“We were able to help Synagro integrate its various data sources to understand and track the carbon emissions of their wastewater operations within six weeks. As a result, they now have the insights to do what matters to reduce impacts on the communities in which they operate.”Jillian Moore, Sustainability Executive Sponsor, Avanade

EY offers an expansive suite of solutions targeting enterprise decarbonization and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data management. These are helping customers create sustainability strategies that enable competitive differentiation and long-term value for stakeholders while leaning on the knowledge and implementation capabilities of EY’s broad, cross-functional teams.

“With Microsoft, our market-leading sustainability and Microsoft services teams are able to quickly develop and deliver innovative solutions that address nuanced issues of decarbonization in a cost-effective manner.”Dr. Matt Bell, Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader, EY 

EY takes a holistic focus on decarbonization that considers both the financial and operational implications of achieving a low-carbon enterprise along with the new business opportunities that decarbonization presents. EY works with a number of firms that are exploring cutting-edge approaches to capturing value in the new, low-carbon economy, including large carbon capture enterprises and firms focused on creating differentiated low-carbon products, bringing teams of data scientists, environmental specialists, and tax and finance professionals who collaboratively innovate.

Core to all of EY’s work is a focus on the transparency that these solutions lend toward reporting to regulators and customers. EY’s solutions expand on core capabilities in applications like Microsoft Sustainability Manager, adding forecasting, financial, compliance, reporting, supplier, and product management capabilities necessary to support business decision-makers through this exciting period of transition.

Publicis Sapient has also integrated Microsoft Sustainability Manager in its eMission Cloud View energy efficiency and emissions management solution, providing customers a means to track carbon intensity and reduce their impact. The solution leverages the combined power of big data, analytics, and cloud, with integrated Microsoft Azure AI and machine learning, Microsoft Power Automate, and Microsoft Power BI, providing meaningful insights for decision-making. Benchmarking features enable close monitoring of progress, and a modular structure facilitates business agility and continuous innovation.

Willow, a leading provider of digital twin solutions for critical infrastructure and real estate, helps customers assemble and structure precise data across static, spatial, and live sources into a virtual replica with its digital twin software, WillowTwin. A Microsoft Sustainability Manager connector enables the seamless exchange of data between WillowTwin and Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. Using the integrated cloud solution, customers can make data-driven decisions to help drive operational efficiency and cost reductions, transform sustainability management, and improve security across their assets. 

“Development of the Microsoft Sustainability Manager connector was straightforward. It enables the seamless exchange of precise data between WillowTwin and Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability.”Bert Van Hoof, President and Chief Operating Officer, Willow

WillowTwin ^{can help organizations that own or manage facilities streamline their sustainability reporting by providing accurate, contextual insights at both macro and individual facility levelsfor example, insights into carbon intensity and emissions over time alongside existing energy intensity and usagehelping to solve a key industry challenge in the reporting of sustainability targets. That is, many organizations lack a single source of truth for their data, relying heavily on static reports and having limited access to real-time or contextual data. As sustainability reporting requirements become instituted and more stringent, organizations will need data solutions that span multiple built assets and enable reporting in a standardized manner.} 

“WillowTwin provides highly accurate daily energy consumption and purchased electricity data to Microsoft Sustainability Manager, which enables it to calculate accurate Scope 2 carbon footprint impact and reduce the time and effort needed to accurately report carbon emissions data.”Bert Van Hoof, President and Chief Operating Officer, Willow

Finally, the multinational professional services firm KPMG is embracing new reporting requirements as part of every company’s sustainability journey. KPMG is helping its clients make the reporting journey smoother and more cost-effective by leveraging the capabilities of Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability and the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform. 

“While we’re seeing increased momentum for sustainability reporting to meet the same rigors as financial reporting, KPMG’s approach is to help companies go beyond regulatory compliance and develop a decarbonization strategy that connects data with technology.”Rob Fisher, Global ESG Advisory Leader, KPMG

Drawing on Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, Microsoft Sustainability Manager, and Microsoft Azure services including Azure Data Factory, KPMG’s enterprise analytics help clients achieve greater transparency for scaling processes that can be audited. They also enable core enterprise functions like procurement, finance, and supplier management to help drive ESG and climate goals. 

Explore partner sustainability solutions for your industry 

Ready to partner up to achieve your organization’s goals? Find many more industry experts and breakthrough solutions onMicrosoft AppSource.  

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Source: Microsoft Industry Blog