Insight: Driving sustainability and embracing digitalisation to support the triple bottom line

Businesses are under increasing pressure to put sustainability at their heart of its decision making. Regulators, customers, supply chains and employees are demanding that companies pay much closer attention to people, profit and planet (a term known as the Triple Bottom Line first coined by John Elkington) as the UK strives to hit Net Zero. Delivering a sustainability strategy requires access to accurate data to measure, monitor and report performance. With the support of SYSPRO ERP, NexSys can help customers embrace sustainable business practice and build responsible resilient business models.

Businesses are under increasing pressure from legislators, customers and supply chains to adopt more sustainable practices. They have a key role to play in helping reduce emissions and secure a more sustainable future. An increasing number of companies are taking the Net Zero pledge and engaging with stakeholders to manage impact. That involves not only minimising negative impact but identifying opportunities to be regenerative and enhance our natural capital.

The ERP market can play an important part in this transition by giving businesses the visibility they need to drive change. Only by identifying areas for improvement can they balance the demands of the Triple Bottom Line and thereby future proof their operation. That could include anything from identifying ways to reduce energy consumption and minimising waste to reporting to regulators.

At NexSys we have been helping businesses embrace the powers of ERP for almost four decades and as a trusted partner are ideally placed to support customers on their sustainability journey.

Five key areas in which robust ERP can boost your sustainability credentials

1 – Waste reduction

Business leaders need insight into every aspect of their operation to identify and reduce waste. Access to real-time reliable data shines a light on resource management – be it improving logistics to minimise journeys, avoiding duplication and minimising paper use, or highlighting the efficiency of equipment and machines. ERP connectivity ensures that these improvements can be coordinated across the entire supply chain, confirming whether materials are sourced sustainably and that everyone is committed to ethical practices.

2 – Right sizing

Improving the quality of information available to decision makers will also ensure that you are producing the right quantities at the right time. That way, businesses can order and stock the right quantities of materials. Efficient use of space is an important consideration for businesses keen to reduce their environmental impact. More effective inventory management reduces the amount of warehouse space and energy required to keep stock, whilst digital files eliminate the need for rows of filing cabinets.

3 – Remote working

The pandemic has taught us that people do not have to be in the workplace to work effectively and productively. By building a digital backbone to support remote working, businesses can drastically reduce their carbon footprint. It saves on commuter-related emissions whilst ensuring that everyone has all the data they need at their fingertips.

4 – Reporting capabilities

As part of its Net Zero drive, the UK’s regulatory landscape is constantly shifting. Businesses are under increasing pressure to measure and report on their environmental and social impacts. ERP systems can generate a range of KPIs to support that process and a reliable data trail that allows business leaders to monitor performance.

Even those companies who are not legally required to report are seeing the benefits of doing so to meet the demands of stakeholders and underpin their sustainability strategy. These capabilities allow businesses to become more agile, providing them with dynamic reporting systems capable of responding to changing requirements.

5 – Transparency and authenticity

Businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of greenwashing. Sustainability claims must be backed up with accurate real time data. Savvy consumers and diligent regulators want to see the evidence and those that can provide it will improve their reputation and gain competitive advantage.

Sustainability is no longer a business trend that is somewhere on the horizon. It is having a major impact here and now. SYSPRO ERP can help you put social and environmental issues at the heart of your decision making by giving access to reliable real time data.