- The SaaS sector is lagging behind others in raisingness for sustainability and industry
- Digital emissions increase quickly and AI accelerates environmental impact
- Ecosend works entirely on renewable energies and responsibility for server -free digital infrastructure
Sustainability is not a word that most people associate with the Saas. Unlike sectors that strongly depend on physical infrastructure or global logistics, the software industry often escapes a meticulous examination with regard to environmental impact.
With the cost of carbon of digital activity, especially in the AI era, it is starting to change.
Since its launch just over two years ago, Ecosend, a marketing platform by e-mail, has been completely on renewable energies and server-free infrastructure. I spoke with the James Gill, the founder and CEO of the company, to understand what prevents the Saas from being really lasting, and what it will take to the industry to direct, not to be late, to build a greener digital future.
What does it mean to be sustainable for an online business like yours? How do you assess / watch your sustainability?
At Ecosend, sustainability is not only a fashionable word or a reflection afterwards. It is cooked in our DNA even as a business.
Since we launched Ecosend just over two years ago, we have executed our platform on fully renewable energies and the latest “server” technology. Being “sustainable” means that our planet must be at the heart of each decision we take and every corner of our product. Historically, SaaS companies have avoided the level of control around sustainability to which other industries have been exposed.
Companies operating in equipment, transport, supply chains, etc. began to adapt to more sustainable practices following this exam. We firmly believe that SaaS companies should adapt in the same way, to actively lead us to a better future, rather than continuing to late.
To help us monitor our commitment to sustainability, we are not only counting on internal processes, but accreditation and external relationships. We are certified by “Green Small Business”, as well as by members of the Charter of Good Business, the engagement of 1% and Terra Carta. In addition to that, we are currently certifying as B Corp.
As a supplier of SaaS, what are the biggest obstacles you have encountered in your trip to being more environmentally friendly?
One of the biggest challenges we face is common to many companies working in the durability space, and it is a lack of conscience. Few people are aware of the cost of the carbon of our digital activities, and yet if “Internet” was a country, it would be the fourth most polluting nation in the world.
Taking emails specifically, more than 360 billion emails are sent per day depending on Statista searches. Each email can have a carbon cost of up to 26 g. However, few marketing specialists are aware of the environmental impact of their campaigns. Although many of us can understand the impact of the boiling of a kettle, the impact of digital activities as the sending of an email seems more difficult to end.
The first challenge is therefore to raise awareness. Secondary on this challenge is to motivate the change.
It is one thing for a company to be aware of the environmental impact of its online activity, but to motivate them to migrate its email service provider, its data and its campaigns is another.
We devote a lot of efforts to make migration as simple as possible to companies, in order to remove the inertia associated with the evolution of software. This includes personalized import tools and dedicated integration sessions with our assistance team to facilitate the process for companies wishing to change.
In an ideal world, what would it take for publishers as we go more to the ecological references of SaaS suppliers?
I believe that a starting point would be a better consciousness of the extent of the challenge. Digital shows are often behind the declaration on other high -emission activities, such as plane trips. But the “invisibility” of digital emissions should not hide its scale or its impact.
With the recent dazzling increase in AI, the impact of digital emissions will only develop and feel more strongly.
The “carrot” motivation to SaaS companies to improve their sustainability references will only lead us so far. But increased coverage of publishers in the digital sustainability will result in increased regulation through the ecological references of SaaS companies. This will play an additional “stick” factor to motivate companies to change for best practices and reports. Both are necessary to facilitate change.
Ecosend has sustainability built to his heart as his USP. To what extent is the composition of your audience different compared to your peers?
We are fortunate to work with hundreds of dedicated B bodies, charitable organizations and organizations focused on the objective, for which the concepts of sustainability and holistic capitalism are anchored in their central ethics.
Our customers are ambitious and determined to grow profitably, but the main difference is that this growth is never done at the expense of people or the planet.
Whether they are entrepreneurs, SMEs or large companies; We learn so much from our client’s efforts to advance digital sustainability, and we are delighted to support them in their mission.
The AI was hailed as the solution to the durability enigma and the destroyer of the forests. What is your opinion about it?
The rise of AI presents both the threat and the opportunity. The decisive factor will be in the way AI is deployed. It is currently estimated that Chatgpt uses approximately 39.98 million kWh per day. It is more than annual energy consumption of more than 100 nations.
The frivolous use of the AI will only launch ourselves further on a path on which we should not be. That said, if we can consciously exploit AI, we can use it to create a better future. Whether it is to automate complex ESG reports, assess the sustainability references of a large supply chain or increase the efficiency of company administration tasks; It is possible for AI to serve us, rather than contributing to our disappearance.
If the use of AI is both limited and aware, I think this can be a solution to the challenge of sustainability. Unfortunately, current trends seem to show that the opposite is the case.
Where are you going from here? How to become even more durable?
We are currently certifying as B Corp. The process for applying and maintaining B Corp certification will guarantee that our company is bound to high B Corp standards for ethical and sustainable business practices. Thanks to this application, we will keep ourselves publicly responsible to ensure that we “walk” on sustainability, ethics and community in our company, our software platform and our supply chain.
Beyond our B Corp application, we regularly examine how to improve our sustainability references. These criticisms prompted us to play a more active role in our local community, by volunteering in food banks and London conservation sites.
An example of ways we have evolved – we have always sent a gift to our corporate customers every Christmas. We go from the sending of baskets to sending donations to Beam – an organization that supports people who experience roaming in the United Kingdom to find stable work and accommodation. Until now, we have sponsored more than 50 customers via our partnership.
In addition, we recently added a new trees planting partner to our ecosystem to improve surveillance and the declaration of the place where the trees of our customers are planted.
Although we are proud of what we do, we know that the world needs more – more from us, and more of all businesses. We are delighted to push ourselves to do more to protect our original planet and inspire others to follow.
