Cloud Computing and Sustainable Supply Chain Management : Meeting Sustainability Reporting Standards

Abstract

In 2015, almost every country gave their commitment to Paris Agreement, where all are committed to keep the planet’s temperature to 1.5 degree celsius to avoid environmental catastrophe. With this being the main goal, companies now are adopting to new policies created to align with the Paris Agreement and expectations from their stakeholders, more importantly from customers and investors. This thesis explores the relationship between cloud computing technologies and sustainable supply chain management, with a focus on how the companies can use the cloud in meeting sustainability reporting standards and set their emissions reduction roadmap.

Through multiple case studies, the research will highlight the the used of cloud computing products and service for large corporations such H&M and Nestle in solving their challenges towards transitioning to a more sustainable operations through data-driven strategies. In addition, the case studies will include how cloud-based applications provided by Google drive Nordic startups such as Snowfox.AI and Normative.io in building carbon management softwares answering the growing demand for carbon tracking management tools. Having Häme University of Applied sciences commissioning this research, iit will highlight the growing importance of green skills related to its program degree ICT Bioeconomy Engineering which will provide insights and guidance for its students and lecturers. This study opens up several paths for additional research. One would be focusing on the less aggressive companies based within EU countries on using cloud-bases applications where policies are tightening and forcing them to report their emission reductions. Secondly, with the implementation of AI in terms of data flow automation and software algorithms what concerns and drives legislations in creating new guidance for these technological tools. Overall, the hope is that this research serves as a starting point for further exploration and analysis of the cloud computing technologies in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and achieving a sustainable and profitable sustainable supply chain management.