Tech companies are turning their focus towards environmental, social and governance (ESG)-oriented technology as part of their strategy to attract customers and support sustainable growth.
Businesses are paying more attention to ESG investing, which is a form of sustainable investing that considers environmental, social and governance factors, in addition to financial factors, in the decision-making process.
Fujitsu, the Japanese IT conglomerate, indicated it can make society more sustainable through the support of technology in the ESG arena.
"Trust is essential for a sustainable society, as is the role of technology," Takahito Tokita, chief executive and chief of digital transformation at Fujitsu, said during a virtual event called Fujitsu ActivateNow 2021.
According to him, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals are at the core of Fujitsu's policy and management.
If these goals are achieved, the external economic effects are expected to create new market opportunities worth US$12 trillion annually by 2030.
To follow the ESG trend, the company launched Fujitsu Uvance, a developer of sustainable solutions using technology with a focus on sustainable manufacturing, healthy consumer living, societal trust, the digital shift, business applications and hybrid IT systems.
Schneider Electric, a global energy management and automation specialist, also highlighted the importance of sustainable development.
"Despite increased momentum around sustainability and more companies adopting ambitious targets to tackle climate change, we need to speed up, with 3-5 times greater effort from governments and corporates," Schneider Electric chairman and chief executive Jean-Pascal Tricoire said in a keynote speech during its annual Innovation Summit World Tour 2021.
To support organisations in their quest to decarbonise at pace and deliver on their climate commitments, the company is accelerating the expansion of its global sustainability consulting services to meet increasing demand for meaningful progress on energy transition and climate action goals, he said.
The best vector for decarbonisation and digital is smart energy in driving efficiency and eliminating waste, said Mr Tricoire.
Epson, a printing and projection technology pioneer, expressed its commitment to providing products and solutions that offer both productivity and sustainability.
"This move brings sustainable choices closer to our customers in Asean," said Siew Jin Kiat, regional managing director of Epson Singapore.
At the firm's corporate solution centre in Singapore, it showcases PaperLab, an office-based papermaking system that uses Epson's unique "Dry Fiber" technology, which means it does not use water during the process.
PaperLab allows businesses to reduce their environmental impact by recycling used paper.
Yunyong Muneemongkoltorn, managing director of Epson Thailand, said there is a growing consciousness among Thai businesses about reducing their carbon footprint.
"We look to be a driver of sustainability among businesses in Thailand through our products and solutions," he said.
Ichiro Hara, managing director of ABeam Consulting Thailand, stressed that ESG investing has become vital for companies to integrate ESG into their business strategy with management teams capable of system-based thinking. This requires commitment to investing in long-term initiatives that drive shared-value creation.
A research study found by incorporating ESG in their long-term investment strategies, companies can achieve top-line growth, build a loyal customer base, reduce cost, minimise regulatory and reputation risks, increase employee productivity, as well as optimise investment expenditures, he said.