Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 83 | Page 70

CASE STUDY

AS THE DATA CENTRE INDUSTRY HAS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS , SUCH AS HIGH ENERGY INTENSITY , RAPID GROWTH , LARGE POWER CONSUMPTION AND WATER USAGE , IT REQUIRES SPECIALISED METRICS .

They need cutting edge technologies that are not only efficient and effective , but they also need intelligence and insights in digitalisation and transformation . They need technical partners that can help position them to identify and take advantage of emerging opportunities , even as the market faces major challenges . That is our offering : A comprehensive portfolio of infrastructure , applications and services , backed by a range of resources , partners and alliances that builds into a compelling value proposition .
All that is backed up by our Green Premium program that stands for our commitment to deliver superior , sustainable performance to customers . It has been upgraded with recognised environmental claims and extended to cover all offers including products , services and solutions .
How is Schneider-Electric raising awareness of its data centre and sustainability to C-suite executives in the Middle East ?
We have always believed that direct engagement is the best way to communicate .
We engage directly with C-suite officers , IT leads and business process owners through a range of vehicles , from roundtables to forums , conferences and more . We encourage community and facilitate communication . In those settings , it ’ s not just about informing others , it ’ s about listening to their experiences , their concerns and their insights as to what they need and how they need it . We often hear from the technologists , right up to the CIO , that they need business language through which to communicate the value proposition of technologies , especially new and emerging tech . We work to craft our messaging to give them the resources they need to present in ways the business can access to make informed decisions .
Our Expert Roundtable series has been very successful in providing those spaces in which we can have conversations where we can highlight issues such as sustainability , ESG and other topics that need airing . We listen diligently and provide as much back as we can .
Where are organisations currently in the Middle East with ESG efforts ? Why is it a struggle for many to reach their targets for 2030 ?
Efforts in the region are significant , but still have much to do . A PwC report found that more than half ( 57 %) of organisations in the region said that addressing organisational culture and values was their top governance priority . The vast majority ( 86 %) of large companies said increased ESG regulation would strengthen and accelerate the implementation of their own ESG strategies . Again , more than half ( 58 %) of companies see enhancing their brand and reputation as the top benefit for implementing an ESG strategy .
According to an IDC survey from earlier this year , a third ( 33 %) of CIOs in the META region say that achieving ESG goals through digital investments is a key priority for them . The same survey found that 34 % CIOs in the region say they plan to significantly increase investment in more energy efficient data centre technologies over the next 12-18 months .
When this is combined with governmental efforts , such as the UAE net zero by 2050 initiative and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ’ s net zero by 2060 , it creates a groundswell of activity that will spur everyone on this journey . However , it is a journey and as many have already set 2030 as a target for achieving significant reductions , it will concentrate minds and efforts .
However , the overall message remains the same : sustainability will continue to be a thread throughout everything we do , as companies , as communities , as countries and regions . Guided by strong ESG programmes , we can collectively achieve the targets needed to make a liveable world for the next generation and beyond . p
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