To push the development and adoption of technological solutions with enormous potential for sustainability, and to contribute, together with other important players in this field, to the digital and sustainable transformation of our country. It is with these clear objectives that IBM, one of the world’s largest companies and a leader in Information Technology, joins the Foundation for Digital Sustainability network. Talking to us about this is Tiziana Tornaghi, General Manager of IBM Consulting Italia, the division that guides companies in their digital transformation enabled by AI and the Cloud: with a degree in Business Economics from Bocconi University and with IBM for over thirty years, she began her career in the company as a project manager in the insurance and banking sectors, covering roles of increasing responsibility and becoming a Partner of IBM Consulting in 2007. During these years she has worked, both commercially and on projects, with numerous multinationals in the Consumer Goods, Retail, Banking and Public sector markets and, from 2014 to 2016, she was also responsible at a European level for the management of large clients in the Retail and Travel&Transportation sectors.
A strategic commitment to sustainability
As explained by the company’s General Manager, IBM has always placed great emphasis ontechnological innovation as a means of tackling major global challenges. Among them, those related to sustainability occupy a prominent place.“Sustainability is a strategic priority for IBM, pervasive in every area of its operations,” Tiziana Tornaghi emphasised.
“With this in mind, the company is not only committed to mitigating its own environmental impact by reducing carbon emissions and promoting the circular economy, but also aims to enable other organisations to do the same by creating technology solutions that can drive change. The latest IBM Impact Report, highlights the collaborations and involvement of communities, customers, shareholders and employees in the joint effort to achieve the goals defined in the three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social and economic“.
The key role of digital sustainability
For a company that has always been committed to the development of technologies to support the innovation of businesses, institutions and society, digital is therefore the main ally in facing today’s increasingly crucial challenges in building our future. “For us, digital sustainability is about using innovative technologies that can foster sustainable development without compromising the environment or future resources. It is about designing and implementing digital solutions that reduce inefficiencies and environmental impact, while improving people’s quality of life and promoting economic and social growth.”
Examples given by Tiziana Tornaghi in this direction include the adoption ofgenerative artificial intelligence to identify opportunities to reduce emissions and create scenarios and algorithms for more sustainable business practices, or to identify medium- and long-term climate risk factors, such as floods and natural disasters. “Technologies, if well managed, can help solve some of the biggest environmental challenges. This is why, like IBM, we promote activities such as ‘GreenCityAI Hack: Sustainable Urban Innovation with watsonx‘, a hackathon organised by Codemotion in Italy with a focus on the theme of implementing sustainable solutions for the management of large events or initiatives such as the Olympics, Jubilee or Expo, which represent a precious opportunity for growth and visibility for cities and the urban fabric hosting them, but which also have a strong impact on citizens and the territory, creating all-round sustainability issues“.
In short, in a world increasingly based on data and technological innovations, digital sustainability is a crucial issue that everyone must adapt to. “Digital is an indispensable support for sustainable transformation,” Tiziana Tornaghi further explained. “Those who do not seize these opportunities not only fall behind, generating a negative impact on the entire ecosystem, but also risk a negative impact on their own business. Our commitment at IBM Consulting Italia is therefore to accompany our clients along a path where innovation, sustainability and business results are deeply interconnected, in the conviction that only the integration of these three elements can generate maximum value and lasting impact‘.
Collaboration as an engine for change
When dealing with disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and others, sustainable digital governance becomes an essential tool to ensure that technological innovations meet not only economic, but also environmental and social needs.
“Technologies such as quantum andAI are becoming strategic decision-making tools for businesses and institutions to responsibly manage limited resources and minimise negative impacts on the environment. In this way, digital sustainability is not just an end, but a means to drive the evolution of corporate policies and operations through governance based on the enormous amount of data we have, which are not only able to push technology to new horizons, but are also at the heart of a new paradigm of governance and leadership choices to be able to anticipate change rather than undergo it.”
What needs to happen, however, is a systemic change. Indeed, it is only by pushing everyone in the same direction that digital sustainability can represent a crucial opportunity for the country system to create a truly sustainable future. “By collaborating with other companies and organisations that share the same values and goals, we can accelerate the adoption of technological practices and solutions that promote the digital sustainability of the entire system,” concluded Tiziana Tornaghi. “In this direction, joining the Foundation is an opportunity for IBM to actively contribute to a global dialogue and be part of the transformation of our country.”