Net zero is a priority for business due to growing world ESG requirements. Consequently, many organisations now have officers dedicated to achieving net zero goals. These include Chief Sustainability Officers, Chief Environment Officers, and Net Zero Officers.

These professionals are always on the look out for recent sustainability trends and innovations that can drive their organisation’s transition to greener energy. However, these innovations must also align with environmental, social, and governance strategies.

Fortunately, many companies are finding great success due to the abundance of net zero innovation. The following are just a few of the ways organisations use innovation to drive them towards net zero.

Patagonia Embraces Sustainability

Patagonia has always promoted environmental stewardship. Now they are using technology to reduce their impact on the planet, since 95% of their emissions come from their supply chain and materials manufacturing.

First, they are helping their global supply chain divest from fossil fuels. Second, they will also substitute all petroleum-based fibers with more sustainable fibers in their clothing by 2025. Finally, they have adopted a new way of measuring the environmental cost of every item they sell to ensure the brand makes wise choices. Deemed the triple bottom line, it measures social, environmental and financial performance.

Biogen Improves Supply Chains

Biogen is a biotech company focused on sustainability. They’ve eliminated PVC packaging, increased energy efficiency, and created a supply chain sustainability network to help decarbonize the pharmaceutical industry.

Starbucks Cuts Costs & Lowers Carbon Emissions

Starbucks not only sells fair trade, organic coffee. They also embrace innovations that lower their carbon footprint and operating costs.

As an example, they use low-flow water valves to reduce water consumption and recycled materials in their cabinetry. Air conditioned spaces are now automated too and operate at a higher temperature to reduce energy consumption.

Bosch Collaborates to Fuel Innovation

Since 2020, Bosch has used a four-pronged approach to achieving net zero. This includes increasing energy efficiency, generating their own clean energy, buying green energy, and offsetting CO2 emissions as a last resort.

The company is now exploring new CO2 reduction technologies as well as extending product life cycles, improving resource efficiencies, and capturing CO2. Much of this work is done in partnerships with intellectual and industry leaders.

Innovations That Can Power Net Zero Efforts

Many innovations can power net zero change. Here are some of the best-known and how they might help your organisation:

• Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning– often used to automate processes for greater efficiency. Also commonly used to forecast supply and demand to reduce waste
• Digitization – computerizing functions for greater efficiency, improved productivity, and providing helpful data for easier collaboration and better decision making
• Green Energy Production & Storage– transitioning to a method that reduces an organisation’s carbon footprint. May also reduce dependence on the electrical grid to lower expenses
• Low cost trialing & testing – methodical methods to test and trial innovations, without heavy investments in R&D
• Smart technologies – innovative technologies that lower or eliminate carbon emissions and improve user experience.

Collaborating to Achieve Net Zero Goals

The race towards net zero is more intense than ever. Many companies, governments, and institutions have already pledged to halve their emissions by 2030. Experts also agree more change is necessary to reach net zero by 2050.

Fortunately, organisations can now access a bigger pool of innovators and more net zero options. Additionally, many net zero innovations are more affordable than ever.

Additionally, it is possible to create international and national collaborations to reach net zero goals. Organisations can share learning, resources, and best practices to accelerate effective innovation.

Whether you are a Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Environment Officer, Net Zero Officer or anyone else tasked with net zero goals, EarlyBirds makes it easy to leverage net zero innovations through multiple methods. Each offers the following benefits:

• Increased productivity
• Improved operational efficiency
• Enhanced competitiveness
• Connections to the best Subject Matter Experts and innovators available
• Simplified process

EarlyBirds Skill Identification Program

Our skill identification program offers potential solutions to organisation to find and retain the best in the current talent pool.

The program is overseen by veterans in the industry with a high level of credibility and expertise that benefits all parties. It also provides actionable data-driven recommendations fuelled by cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics.

EarlyBirds Open Innovation Ecosystem

Our award-winning Open Innovation Ecosystem allows both innovation and strategic thinking in all areas of a business, whatever the technical or business challenge or potential opportunity your organisation wants to explore.

With a data pool of over 5.0 million global innovations across many industries, it is possible that solutions already exist that address your organisation’s challenges. Alternatively, your organisation can list your challenges and request solutions from innovators.

EarlyBirds Ecosystem Maps

EarlyBirds’ Ecosystem Maps offer strategic value for decision-making. They empower company officers, because they provide a full picture of the possible technological advancements in specific domains. This allows them to make informed, forward-thinking decisions.

Each Ecosystem Map contains startups, scaleups, and mature companies involved in specific themes and sub-themes so organisations can plot a path towards innovation. The map also tracks numerous daily and historical news and media articles from across the world.

EarlyBirds Explorer Program

The Explorer Program is tailored towards those who need innovation as a service to supplement existing innovation programs, or to conduct innovation projects when required. It is designed to speed up the process of technological innovation for the organisation as a service.

The Explorer Program includes several features including quarterly and monthly innovation days; regular webinars to help stimulate innovation in the organisation; a focus on types of innovations; a platform enterprise license; and a nominated SME for the business.

EarlyBirds Challenger Program

The Challenger Program focuses on a single organisational or technical challenge. It looks for the most relevant innovators that meet your organisational, technical, and risk requirements.

The program is run by an EarlyBirds’ Subject Matter Expert who identifies your key issues. The SME then searches the data pool to identify and curate options for further evaluation. The most suitable option is chosen and the SME drafts a roadmap of next steps, POC, trial, or implementation.

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Meeting net zero goals is possible using the right resources. If your organisation needs to find the most appropriate innovations for your company, please sign up as an Early Adopter. Alternatively, please request a consultation for a more personalized approach.

Our experience extends to the Food Industry, Retail, Healthcare, Operations & Maintenance, Manufacturing, Finance & Insurance, Energy, Education, Cybersecurity, Sovereign Nations, the Public Sector, and many other areas. We can help you pinpoint innovations that align with your organisation’s net zero goals and company ethos.

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