SAP Unveils Sustainability Tracking Application
SAP BusinessObjects Sustainability Performance Management, built on the vendor's BusinessObjects business intelligence software, helps businesses set sustainability strategies and goals and measure their progress toward reaching those goals, said Peter Graf, SAP's chief sustainability officer, in a teleconference Thursday.
While sustainability might sound like something just for environmentalists, an increasing number of businesses are adopting sustainability practices and even requiring their suppliers to do the same. Under Walmart's "Sustainability Index" initiative, for example, the giant retailer's top suppliers recently had to complete a sustainability self-assessment.
The new software can help businesses gather data on such efforts as reducing water use or greenhouse gas emissions, for example, or increase the amount of recycled material used in manufacturing a product. The software covers environmental, economic and social aspects of a business, the latter including a company's charitable and "corporate citizen" efforts.
"This solution helps companies focus on gathering key sustainability information," Graf said, noting that the product comes with a library of some 100 key performance indicator (KPI) metrics built in. The product is the first "holistic" system for managing sustainability efforts, he said.
Graf said the software, which is available today, is being sold directly and through the vendor's channel partners. He said feedback from a number of partners was used to develop the product.