Must-Read for Senior Executives: Master ESG Digital Transformation and AI Applications to Formulate Best Sustainable Business Strategies
Global attention to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues is increasingly heating up. Enterprises face stricter compliance requirements and need to balance economic benefits with social responsibility. Digitalization and AI technology have become core tools for managing ESG data, and with the rapid development of big data and automation technology, the digital transformation trend is irreversible.
This article will deeply explore international ESG digital management trends, the current situation of Taiwan enterprises, and Sustaihub's innovative solutions to help senior executives gain the initiative in ESG strategy planning.
Enterprise Challenges Under the Global ESG Digitalization Wave: 90% of Enterprises Increase Investment in Digital Transformation
Against the backdrop of accelerating global ESG management digitalization, many enterprises are gradually adopting cloud platforms, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence technologies to improve ESG data management efficiency, accuracy, and transparency.
According to the 2024 "Addressing the Strategy Execution Gap in Sustainability Reporting" survey of 550 global enterprises, 90% of enterprises plan to increase investment in ESG areas over the next three years, with key focuses on three aspects: sustainability professionals, ESG system platforms, and training.
Among these, demand for ESG system platforms has grown rapidly, becoming a highly focused project for enterprises in recent years.
The reason is that as ESG data becomes increasingly complex, traditional Word and Excel data management tools have become inadequate. Today, enterprises need to respond to government regulations, industry standards, and investor requirements, such as frameworks like SASB, TCFD, IFRS, and investor rating questionnaires like DJSI or CDP, significantly increasing ESG management needs and workload.
Although enterprises generally understand the necessity of ESG system platforms, the actual adoption rate is only 37%. Most enterprises still rely on Word and Excel to collect ESG data, consuming significant manpower and time, and even depending on external consultants, resulting in high management costs.
From Excel to Cloud Platforms! Sustaihub Helps 20+ Industries Advance ESG Digital Transformation
Sustaihub began developing ESG sustainability report management systems as early as 2019. With its rich ESG consulting experience, it helps Taiwan enterprises complete ESG reports and GHG carbon inventories. Over the past five years, Sustaihub has successfully provided digital transformation services to more than 20 industries, becoming a key partner in corporate sustainable development.
For example, Systex Information has used the "Syber Sustainability Report System" to complete ESG reports since 2021; Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection uses the "DCarbon Cloud Carbon" platform to achieve carbon emission surveys across all Taiwan locations, stores, and equipment; ASUS employs "Supply Chain Sustainability Management" to analyze tens of thousands of supply chain ESG audit data and establish a dedicated ESG database; the Taiwan Textile Research Institute uses the "Industry Chain Carbon Reduction Planning" solution to analyze upstream and downstream carbon emission data in the textile industry and formulate net-zero carbon reduction pathways.
These enterprises have recognized the importance of ESG data management and are gradually shifting from traditional Word, Excel, and email collection methods to digital tools to reduce the growing data processing burden and effectively save manpower and communication costs.
New Website Launches! Sustaihub AI Solutions Help Enterprises Efficiently Address ESG Needs
As ESG digital transformation demand rises, Sustaihub launched a new website in 2024, showcasing its sustainability digital tools and consulting services. The new solutions incorporate AI technology, significantly improving the efficiency of enterprise ESG management. Here are the three AI features most praised by enterprise clients:
1. Automatic Data Collection Form Compilation
ESG data needs to cover all locations, factories, and subsidiaries within the financial report boundary. If hundreds of reports are processed manually, the workload is substantial. Through AI technology, collected data can be automatically compiled and report formats adjusted, significantly saving manpower costs.
2. Report Text Generation
ESG indicators include qualitative descriptions such as human rights policies and energy-saving carbon reduction actions. AI can assist in generating drafts, and enterprises can then adjust according to actual practices, reducing writing time and ensuring text consistency.
3. Keyword Case Search
Facing emerging ESG topics, benchmark cases are important references for enterprises, such as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and TNFD (Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures). Sustaihub's ESG keyword case search database can quickly search thousands of ESG reports without individually searching PDF files, significantly reducing time costs.
AI technology applications are diverse; the core lies in high-quality ESG data training, allowing AI to deeply understand ESG domain-specific terms and text styles.
Supplier Carbon Reduction Upgrade! Far EasTone and Sustaihub Jointly Promote Digital and Net-Zero Dual-Axis Transformation
To maintain its leadership position in ESG digital transformation, Sustaihub completed tens of millions in funding in 2024, bringing in Far EasTone Telecom as a strategic investor to jointly promote digital and net-zero dual-axis transformation. Through the support of Far EasTone's startup accelerator, Far EasTone's energy management system and Sustaihub's carbon inventory system are deeply integrated, providing enterprises with comprehensive carbon reduction solutions.
Far EasTone not only utilizes its nationwide business resources to expand ESG business opportunities for SMEs but also promotes digital transformation from its own supply chain. On November 8, Sustaihub was invited to participate in Far EasTone Telecom's supplier conference, with the theme "Carbon Reduction Action," launching "Far EasTone Supply Chain Carbon Inventory System Support and Consulting Assistance," allowing suppliers to escape the tedious operations of traditional carbon inventory and use digital platforms for automated calculations to meet Far EasTone's carbon management needs.
This digital platform allows supplier carbon inventory data to reference both ISO 14064 and GHG Protocol standards, enabling quick response to Far EasTone's needs while also addressing other customers' carbon emission data requirements. Far EasTone hopes to help suppliers steadily establish carbon inventory foundations through this initiative, jointly embracing the global net-zero carbon reduction trend.
Additionally, to help suppliers familiarize themselves with carbon inventory SOP operations, Sustaihub arranges online and in-person GHG system training courses and provides one-on-one consulting to meet suppliers' diverse needs. Through its rich consulting experience and carbon coefficient database, Sustaihub is committed to improving supplier carbon data quality, helping Far EasTone achieve its 2048 net-zero target.
Digital Management Drives ESG Knowledge Assets! Strategic Blueprint for Building Enterprise Sustainable Competitive Advantages
ESG sustainability reports and GHG carbon inventories have become mandatory annual items for enterprises. Therefore, enterprises need to establish relevant departments or dedicated personnel to drive long-term efforts, internalizing sustainability concepts within the organization rather than relying solely on short-term support from external consultants. While consultant assistance can achieve short-term results, it is difficult to effectively accumulate the enterprise's sustainability knowledge assets.
Sustaihub's ESG digital transformation solution is committed to empowering enterprises, helping colleagues build internal ESG professional capabilities, and systematically managing historical ESG data assets.
In the initial phase of the solution, the consulting team and digital system jointly help enterprises establish SOP processes and train internal ESG seed personnel. As enterprise capabilities improve, consultants gradually withdraw, allowing enterprises to independently use the digital system each year to complete data collection and report preparation, ensuring organizational members are familiar with ESG and GHG processes.
Through this digital platform, enterprises can systematically manage ESG data and knowledge, establish an ESG knowledge management center, accumulate and pass on ESG information as long-term knowledge assets. Ultimately, enterprises can formulate sustainable development strategic blueprints based on internal data and knowledge, achieving lasting competitive advantages.
