Software solutions for environmental and sustainability management : potentials, challenges and recommendations for action : policy paper / by Katharina Bütow, Laura Daviña König, Michael Vötsch (KATE Umwelt & Entwicklung, Stuttgart) ; with the involvement of Lisa Rummel, Joris Docke, Philipp Poferl (Arqum GmbH) and Simon Schnabel (ifu Institut für Umweltinformatik Hamburg GmbH) ; on behalf of the German Environment Agency ; publisher: Umweltbundesamt ; policy paper performed by: Kate Umwelt & Entwicklung e.V., Arqum GmbH ; expert guidance Subject Area, 1.4 Socio-economic environmental questions, sustainable consumption; Christoph Töpfer und Dirk Osiek

Abstract

Companies harbour a vast amount of potential for organising their processes, products and services in a more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable way. The application of software solutions and new technologies may provide decisive advantages in this regard, for example by creating new bases for decision-making regarding more environmentally friendly process and product optimisations through the systematic collection, linking and analysis of a wide range of company data. On behalf of the German Environment Agency, the research project "Digital management tools for environmental and sustainability management" (2021-2022, research code 3720 14 104 0) investigated the specific potentials inherent in the use of software and new digital technologies for environmental and sustainability management, which barriers are present and how they can be overcome. A particular focus of the study lay on the increased integration of dedicated environmental and sustainability software with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. This publication summarises key findings of the research project and formulates recommendations for action on how software providers and decision-makers in politics and companies can support the digital transformation in environmental and sustainability management.