Google Cloud survey found that most executives support sustainability efforts but few pay attention to the data

A new survey of Google Cloud by The Harris Poll found that the vast majority of executives see sustainability as a key goal for their business. However, the survey also found that most people did not actually measure their work progress. It’s a problem because you don’t want to be sustainable. You have to take action to achieve it internally and throughout the supply chain, and if progress isn’t measured or lacking, then everything just talks.

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Google Cloud surveyed 1,491 C-level executives or vice presidents in 16 countries to gain a broad understanding of the sustainability issues facing businesses. The good news is that 80% of respondents think their companies are doing a good job around sustainability, which sounds good. But then they asked them how to measure their progress. At this point, the survey revealed some more shocking answers.

“Research shows a troubling gap between companies that they think they’re doing well and those when they can accurately measure it.” Only 36 percent of respondents said their organizations have measurement tools in place to quantify their sustainability efforts, while only 17 percent are using these measurement tools to optimize for results,” Justin Keeble, head of global sustainability at Google Cloud, wrote in an article describing the results.

in response to survey questions, 58 percent of executives called there “green hypocrisy” in their organizations, and about two-thirds questioned the extent to which their organizations are truly committed to such efforts. a term for this has emerged – “greenwashing”, in which companies say something about sustainability but don’t act on it.

surprisingly, 4 percent of respondents said their companies didn’t have any sustainability efforts. that means 96 percent did, but it could be one of many options, such as a sustainable office policy, working with a green supplier, or running a recycling program.

THERE IS STILL REASON TO BE OPTIMISTIC BECAUSE RESPONDENTS BELIEVE THAT SUSTAINABILITY AND BROAD ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE) EFFORTS WILL LEAD TO BETTER BUSINESS OUTCOMES, AND 74 PERCENT SAY THAT SUSTAINABILITY CAN LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION.

The question is how to narrow the gap between desire (assuming it’s true) and measuring the problem. Google sees this as a technical issue.

the company wrote in the full report: “technological innovation is the primary utility that executives believe will affect the sustainable growth of their organizations and the sustainability of the entire planet, and 91% of respondents agree that ‘technology makes our organizations more sustainable.”

Unsurprisingly, the company also announced a carbon measurement tool called Carbon Footprint as a way for Google Cloud users to gauge progress in their sustainability efforts. Other companies like Salesforce are also providing tools to measure sustainability progress — in this case, it’s called Net Zero Cloud (formerly Sustainability Cloud).

It provides a way to manage the process of achieving the goal of net-zero energy use over time. Notably, Google and Salesforce have a partnership around this product.

Earlier this year, IBM acquired Envizi, a tool for measuring environmental impacts across supply chains. At the same time, startups like ESGgo, Fresh, and Tanso are also working to establish ways to bring some measurement discipline to the problem.

while respondents recognize the need for sustainability and see positive business outcomes in sustainability efforts, it is imperative to track data to understand how these goals are being achieved.

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