Enter the cloud

Recently, Boxfusion’s partner, Microsoft, announced the development of Cloud for Sustainability. What this tool will essentially do is assist large corporations to record, report, reduce and replace their carbon emissions through big data and machine learning.

Jessica Long, the Managing Director of Accenture’s Strategy & Sustainability division notes that “Technology has the potential to accelerate progress while helping companies enhance their competitive agility.” And this is precisely what Cloud for Sustainability does.

By digitising data sets and showing decision makers where much of their emissions are coming from, or where carbon reduction goals are not being met, big business can target areas that need the most attention.Thus, they can do something about those aspects of their business that are impacting the planet negatively.

This is known as “carbon accounting”, and allows businesses to measure their performance and output against attainable goals in real time.

The power of data

The reason the cloud is such a useful tool for change is because it automates the collection and collation of data in real time, drawing from a number of inputs across any given organisation. Impactful information allows for swift and informed decision-making, which can then result in real and tangible change.

At Boxfusion, we primarily work within the public sector, but we understand just how powerful the use of real-time data can be and we’ve seen it working in many government departments that have made the move to the Microsoft Cloud.

Our solutions provide managers with digital dashboards that give them oversight into how their departments function, allowing them to track the movement and approval of memos (critical to decision-making within government), leave submissions (essential to ensuring that leave is tracked correctly, and no one is paid overtime if they didn’t earn it), automating meeting packs for up-to-date information during important meetings and so much more.

The cloud ensures that data is no longer siloed between different parts  of an organisation or department, allowing for more honest and accurate handling of day-to-day business and back-office processes.

For businesses, the cloud can mean the ability to accurately track carbon emissions and therefore a reduced impact on our planet – and that’s important, because it’s the only one we have. For government, the cloud means enhanced decision-making and more accountable use of taxpayers money.

The cloud is transforming the way our society functions, and we’re excited to be part of creating this new future each day with our public and private sector partners.