About episode
It’s a sad truth that many companies are struggling or failing to meet their sustainability targets. Sensitive to anti-ESG pressure, interest rates, and other macro factors, many are also holding back from making new commitments. Currently, less than 10% of the Fortune Global 500 has a net zero commitment in place.
Amidst this context, it’s all the more important to shine a light on the companies that have made ambitious targets and that are working hard to achieve them.
IBM is one such company. They began disclosing their CO2 emissions 30 years ago, and since 2010, they’ve cut emissions by nearly 70%. That’s not to say their path is without challenges. They’ve made a big bet on AI, which of course drives up energy usage dramatically.
To understand IBM’s sustainability strategy and progress, I was pleased to sit down with IBM Chief Impact Officer Justina Nixon-Saintil. Justina is a member of NationSwell, the executive membership network where I work. We talked about Justina’s background and role, the main focus areas for sustainability at IBM, some of their successes and challenges, how AI factors into the mix, their sustainability accelerator program, and much more.
If you’re interested in how big companies think about the climate crisis and how they can make a difference, there’s a lot to enjoy this episode. Here we go.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:23] Justina’s background & what led her to her current role at IBM
- [6:06] Justina’s role, responsibilities & things she’s thinking about everyday
- [8:59] The pillars & priorities of IBM’s sustainability strategy
- [10:29] The approach to influencing those stakeholders
- [12:46] Challenges being faced and the gap between companies & their targets
- [14:36] Challenges in reaching your decarbonization goals
- [16:19] AI & sustainability
- [19:31] IBM Sustainability Accelerator: Focus areas & what’s new
- [22:44] Organizations that have joined the accelerator & how they’re benefiting
- [25:07] The struggles & challenges that organizations are facing
- [27:23] Other climate tech spaces where Justina sees an opportunity for AI
- [28:09] IBM SkillsBuild: About the program & priorities
- [32:25] Advice for addressing climate change & other environmental challenges today
Justina’s role, responsibilities & things she’s thinking about everyday
As IBM’s first Chief Impact Officer, Justina oversees the company’s strategic alignment with business goals and ESG considerations, ensuring preparedness for regulatory changes and enhancing efforts in education and sustainability. With IBM’s long history of corporate responsibility, her role emphasizes scaling impactful initiatives globally, particularly in AI and hybrid cloud. She focuses on training individuals in AI and ethical AI, leveraging these technologies for significant community impacts, and providing access to technology programs to help people succeed in the workplace. Her daily focus is on driving and scaling these efforts to align with IBM’s leadership in the tech industry and measure their community impact.
The pillars & priorities of IBM’s sustainability strategy
IBM’s sustainability strategy is deeply rooted in the company’s history and scale, operating in over 175 countries with more than 280,000 employees. IBM, a long-time leader in sustainability, was instrumental in launching the US EPA’s ENERGY STAR program in 1992, began disclosing CO2 emissions in 1994, set its first CO2 reduction goal in 2000, and purchased renewable electricity starting in 2001. Since 2010, IBM has cut emissions by nearly 70%. The sustainability strategy is part of the broader IBM Impact framework, launched two years ago, which organizes efforts into three pillars: environmental impact, equitable impact, and ethical impact. The framework guides their commitments, such as achieving net zero GHG emissions and 90% renewable electricity purchases by 2030, and transparently reports progress in the annual IBM Impact Report.
AI & sustainability
Justina emphasizes the transformative potential of AI in sustainability, noting its ability to analyze complex data and generate actionable insights that can benefit underserved populations. She is particularly excited about AI’s use in geospatial analytics and large language models to support nonprofits, corporations, and governments in addressing climate change and improving ESG reporting. Justina envisions AI playing a crucial role in creating reports and disclosures in the future, citing current uses like helping farmers with environmental conditions as an example of its impact. IBM is actively exploring these possibilities through its watsonx platform, aiming to lead in AI applications for CSR and ESG initiatives.
IBM Sustainability Accelerator: Focus areas & what’s new
The IBM Sustainability Accelerator is a program to support organizations helping populations vulnerable to environmental threats, providing assistance through funding and in-kind support. This year, IBM announced an additional $45 million of investment for the program over the next five years.
When Justina joined IBM three and a half years ago, she was impressed by the company’s extensive resources, including hybrid cloud, AI, and significant weather data from a NASA partnership. She saw an opportunity to use these assets, along with IBM’s geospatial analytics and consulting expertise, to help nonprofits develop and refine solutions for vulnerable communities. The IBM Sustainability Accelerator focuses on areas aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water management, and resilient cities. The program, which is offered pro bono, works with nonprofits, governments, and universities to create and implement impactful solutions. Each year, a new cohort is selected with a specific focus, and IBM recently launched a new initiative on Resilient Cities, aiming to use AI for climate impact modeling and improving urban sustainability. In the first quarter of next year, IBM will launch an RFP for a new area of focus in 2025.
Resources Mentioned
- IBM Impact: Environment
- IBM Sustainability Accelerator
- IMB SkillsBuild
- Texas A&M Agrilife
- Sustainable Energy for All
- Plan21 Foundation
Connect with Justina Nixon-Saintil
- Connect with Justina on LinkedIn
Connect with Jason Rissman
Keep up with Invested In Climate
- Sign up for our Newsletter
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events, or partnerships?
