Digital & Sustainable

Analysis of the bi-directional relationship between Digital Transformation and sustainability (social, environmental, governance) through research data from the Digital & Sustainable Observatory of the POLIMI School of Management.

Goals

Activities

Work Group

Objectives of the Observatory

The Digital & Sustainable Observatory, established in 2023, aims to examine in depth the relationship between digital innovation and sustainability—both as an enabler of sustainability goals and, conversely, as a source of risks for sustainability pathways—through research grounded in solid empirical evidence and independent opportunities for discussion

The goal is to create a community where companies, institutions, and technology and sustainability providers can exchange views and explore the risks and opportunities arising from the interaction between digital innovation and sustainability, in a context still marked by limited clarity around the current state of corporate adoption and the market’s expected evolution.

The Digital & Sustainable Observatory was established in collaboration with Assolombarda.

Digital innovation & Sustainability Observatory Research

The Digital & Sustainable Observatory conducts research across several areas to analyze the two-way relationship between digital innovation and sustainability (environmental, social, and governance) through robust empirical research methods. Specifically, it focuses on:

analyze the broader context and the main economic, political, and social policies that may influence decisions related to sustainability and digital innovation (e.g., regulatory updates, startup censuses, etc.);
identify and map initiatives and best practices that highlight the interactions between digital innovation and sustainability (e.g., digital innovation generating an impact on sustainability goals, sustainability driving digital adoption, digital innovation as an enabler of transformative sustainability, etc.);
identify, categorize, and analyze the main digital tools for measuring sustainability (e.g., KPIs, digital reporting platforms, etc.);
assess the sustainability impact of specific innovation trends (e.g., energy consumption associated with the use of generative AI and data centers, traceability enabled by the use of IoT sensors, employee well-being linked to the implementation of smart working initiatives, etc.);
analyze how organizations address and govern digital innovation and sustainability issues (e.g., level of corporate maturity, the role of the Chief Sustainability Officer, the position of the sustainability function within the organizational structure, etc.).

The Advisory Board

To foster ongoing discussion and steer research toward the topics of greatest value for companies, the Digital & Sustainable Observatory has established a small advisory group made up of leading sustainability figures from large organizations across major industries.

The members of the Advisory Board are:

Matteo Battaini (Head of Sustainability & New Mobility, Pirelli);
Barbara Bax (Head of Sustainability, MediaWorld);
Eleonora Bernard (Global Sustainability Governance – Sr. Mgr., Barilla);
Franca Cavalieri D’Oro (Head of Sustainability, Fineco Bank);
Elena Dimichino (Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer, EssilorLuxottica);
Astrid Palmieri (Chief Sustainability Officer, Esselunga);
Andrea Rocco (Chief Sustainability & Risk Officer, Brembo);
Concetta Testa (Head of Sustainability, CDP).

Activities

Digital & Sustainable, the Observatory’s Activities

The events planned for the first edition of the Digital & Sustainable Observatory are as follows:

A Research setup Kickoff meeting with companies interested in actively participating in the Digital & Sustainable Observatory.
Two cross research workshops reserved for the Digital & Sustainable Observatory Supporters, to report on, validate, and compare research results.
A workshop reserved for Digital & Sustainable Observatory Supporters to look into the relationship between some specific areas of digital innovation (e.g., technology trends) and sustainability with the involvement of the competent Observatories.
A Networking workshop exclusively for the community of Digital & Sustainable Observatory Supporters, to stimulate sharing and brainstorming facilitated by engaging experts in an informal setting.
A public conference to present Research activity results, with roundtable discussions and speeches by key players in the Digital & Sustainable field.
Contents
In the course of its edition, the Digital & Sustainable Observatory will deliver the following contents:
A report in digital format presented at the final conference containing a summary of Research findings.
In-depth online infographics on the topics covered in Research.
A bimonthly press review for Observatory Supporters, with the most significant national and international news in the digital and sustainability fields.

Become a supporter of the Digital & Sustainable Observatory.

The Digital & Sustainable Observatory is supported by several companies as Partners interested in learning more about the relationship between sustainability and digital. Join them and participate in Research activities, obtain visibility at our events, network with qualified companies and professionals, and gain first access to exclusive Observatory data.

For more information send an email to Giorgia Dragoni at giorgia.dragoni@polimi.it