BT is piloting SAP’s Sustainability Data Exchange (SDX), a new platform for carbon accounting which both companies hope to standardize sustainability reporting and drive environmental progress.
In a press release, BT Group said SDX allows it to collect, trace, and share carbon data across its own supplier base.
That gives it more visibility into the carbon footprint of its products and services, which it can later share with business customers.
Roadblock to progress
Furthermore, BT said it chose SAP’s SDX due to its adherence to the carbon data interoperability standards set by the Partnership for Carbon Transparency (PACT). “This means that global and UK business customers do not have to implement their own carbon accounting platforms to calculate, collate, and share emissions data. Instead, they simply request it through SAP SDX for their BT products and services,” the announcement reads.
BT Group said it was the first organization in the UK to adopt this process, adding that it will strive towards the standardization of sustainability reporting across global value chains. It expects the use of the platform to help with its Manifesto pledge, to help customers avoid 60 million tonnes of Co2 by 2030.
“The lack of standardization in sustainability reporting has been a roadblock to progress for too long,” commented Ryan Poggi, managing director of SAP UKI. “This creates confusion and an inability to validate real change. Our partnership with BT gives us an opportunity to refresh the guidelines and offers a blueprint for a universal standard in sustainability reporting. The aim is to create an environment for organizations to transparently tackle global challenges together.”
By combining SDX data with that of SAP’s Green Ledger, businesses get “unmatched” insights into their environmental footprint and standardizes how to communicate learnings and action across value chains, the company concluded.