EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
DR RICHARD TIPPER , CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER , ECOONLINE
The challenge for CIOs when addressing ESG and related health and safety issues involves balancing the requirement for immediate compliance – driven by a seemingly endless stream of new regulations , plus investor and customer information demands – with the ideal of a business that is productive , efficient and sustainable .
All too often the result is a patchwork of systems for collecting information and compiling various reports – almost half of major firms rely on outdated ESG systems – that are sub-optimal to say the least . Legal compliance issues tend to win out , time after time , leaving the CIO ’ s resources stretched , with little time to develop and deploy an effective integrated ESG solution . As the temporary components become embedded within the company , so does a mountain of technical debt gradually rising , sucking the life out of the team .
How can a CIO deal with such challenges , besides looking for a new job with a smaller , simpler business ?
The prime responsibility of the CIO concerning ESG is therefore to challenge the other business leaders to articulate the sustainability vision and to allow the CIO to invest in or build powerful technology solutions that allow the company to fulfil its destiny , rather than
Without a clear vision and direction on sustainability , it is difficult to foresee anything but decline . Technology should be leveraged to fulfil a vision , not force an organisation to create one .
piecemeal compliance . Without a clear vision and direction on sustainability , it is difficult to foresee
anything but decline . Technology should be leveraged to fulfil a vision , not force an organisation to create one .
My advice , having seen this across several sectors , is to challenge the company leadership to set a clear vision for the future of the company before the company walks blindfolded into the weeds of piecemeal compliance .
A clear vision sets out how the company will deliver value to its customers in a way that is consistent with planetary and societal needs for the next century . Any company that fails to articulate this in terms that make sense to staff , customers and investors will be questioned and will ultimately be seen as less relevant in the marketplace .
www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO EUROPE 31