How AI is Paving the Way to Sustainable Business for SMEs: Listen to our WertNetzWerke Podcast!

At a time when many companies are looking for innovative solutions to make their business practices more sustainable, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the main promising technologies. But what does this mean for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their specific business contexts? Do they have the capacities to identify and leverage AI opportunities and, on the other side, assess and mitigate related risks? CSCP’s Arne von Hofe and Mike Table delve into these questions in a podcast of the Digital Centre WertNetzWerke.

Artificial intelligence offers a wide range of applications that can help companies make more sustainable decisions and optimise their processes. By analysing large amounts of data along the entire value chain, AI can identify patterns and make precise predictions in order to use resources more efficiently and minimise environmental impact. For example, AI can help to optimise energy consumption, reduce waste, improve supply chains and much more.

First steps for SMEs

For many small and medium-sized enterprises, getting started with the use of AI for sustainability may seem challenging at first. This is because AI tools and processes are often not directly associated with sustainability. However, there are concrete steps that organisations can take to harness this technology and bring about positive change. These include:

• Create awareness: SMEs should learn about the potentials of AI for sustainability and understand how they can improve their business processes.
• Define sustainability goals and try to overcome obstacles with the help of AI solutions.
• Start pilot projects: With small pilot projects, companies can test the effectiveness of AI applications and gain experience before making larger investments
• Capacity building: Training and further education measures can help employees to familiarise themselves with the basics of AI and improve their skills in using this technology.
• Enter into partnerships: Collaborating with other organisations in value creation networks can give companies access to expertise and resources.

In dialogue with experts

To discuss about the steps above, CSCP’s Mike Tabel and Arne von Hofe talked to Eva Wera Ritter, Innovation and Future Research Manager at GS1 Germany. In this podcast by the Digital Centre WertNetzWerke, they discuss the various ways in which AI can contribute to a more sustainable economy and give specific tips for companies that want to use this technology.

“The starting point for the use of AI is derived from the strategic level: which sustainability issues are essential for us, where do we stand, and what are our goals? From this, we can then usually derive problems that can be tackled with the help of AI.”, highlights Arne von Hofe, CSCP Project Manager.

„An interesting application example is AI-based ESG intelligence, a cockpit in which relevant sustainability data is collected and visualised in real time. In contrast to traditional reporting, this makes it possible to react quickly and at any time if sustainability goals are at risk.“, adds von Hofe.

For the whole discussion, listen to the podcast now!

Would you like to learn more how you can employ AI tools and solutions to achieve sustainability goals? Reach out to our Digital Centre WertNetzWerke experts Arne von Hofe and Mike Tabel!