The industrial sector, the fundamental engine of economic development in any country, is responsible for producing the wide range of goods and services that support our modern society. However, this advancement has not come without its costs.
Several authors point out that most Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are due to activities related to electricity generation [1], which in the long term may have catastrophic consequences, such as extreme heat waves, droughts, floods, sea-level rise, and more severe weather events.
These changes can also affect agriculture, human health, water availability, and biodiversity. The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere dissolves in the ocean, making the water more acidic, endangering marine life.
Another potential risk to consider is the increase in conflicts over control of natural resources, the rise of poverty and inequality: the impacts of climate change affect the global economy, reduce productivity, and increase the costs of raw materials.
The following paragraphs outline that this situation is not coincidental but rather the result of several factors that require understanding to achieve a sustainable future.
Lack of technology and knowledge: Many companies do not have the tools or the necessary knowledge to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of their processes. Investment in technology and specialized training can be seen as an additional cost without an immediate return, which limits its implementation.
Misperception of profitability: There is a belief that measuring environmental impact is not a profitable activity and does not add value to the business. The fact that environmental sustainability can generate long-term benefits, such as reduced operating costs, improved company image, and increased competitiveness, is overlooked.
Underestimation of time and importance: Environmental impact measurement is seen as an activity that requires time and resources that could be allocated to other areas considered more important for the company. The importance of the information that can be obtained through this measurement for strategic decision-making and responsible business management is underestimated.
Underestimation of impact: Some companies underestimate the environmental impact generated by their processes, believing it to be minimal or irrelevant. This misconception can lead to negligence in the implementation of environmental control and mitigation measures..
Fear of negative results: There is a fear that the results of environmental impact measurement could be negative and damage the company's reputation regarding its environmental commitment. This concern can lead companies to avoid measurement or to hide the results obtained.
In the face of this challenge, digitalization and information and communication technologies (ICTs) have provided new possibilities for improving the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data relevant to assessing sustainability performance [2].
Indeed, to understand the industry's impact on the environment, an in-depth analysis of variables such as: volume of gases emitted, water and energy consumption, mass of waste generated, etc. is necessary. It is equally important to contextualize these data with respect to the type and size of the industry, geographic location, and other relevant attributes.
The implementation of sensors and IoT/Cloud technologies enables the real-time collection of data on environmental and social variables, thereby increasing visibility and enhancing the capacity for timely intervention in processes, thanks to automatically generated recommendations.
At Ingedaca, we are committed to supporting our clients and partners by assisting them in managing change and developing a platform that empowers them to enhance their performance in measuring sustainability indicators, with the goal of increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
On one hand, we leverage our expertise in civil engineering, electrical and mechanical installations, and process automation. On the other, we have developed a methodology for analyzing large volumes of data, identifying patterns, trends, and predicting potential future scenarios.
We integrate solutions to provide timely, real-time, and geospatially visualized information in a user-friendly format, enabling informed decision-making.
In this way, we contribute to a new and precise understanding of the factors that affect sustainability and, moreover, we manage to integrate the other business units to transform the entire organization into an intelligent, human-centric, and sustainable environment.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to delve deeper into this topic. Our contact information is provided in the contact section, and we can schedule a brief conversation.
References
[1] Juan. J. Rodríguez. “Hacia un uso sostenible de los recursos naturales”. Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, 2008. Accessed: Mar. 15, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=348303
[2] D. Acuña and M. J. Verastegui, “Guía de Indicadores de Sustentabilidad en la Industria de Alimentos Procesados,” 2013.