Autodesk: Investing in Tomorrow’s Sustainability Technology

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Autodesk
Joe Speicher, Autodesk’s Chief Sustainability Officer, explores how investing in sustainable technologies today benefits operational targets down the line

The path to net zero is not a straight one. It looks different for every company, country and organisation, and within each sustainability strategy there are many pillars, techniques and technologies.

Large, global companies often have some of the most complex strategies – but major corporations can also be at the forefront of driving sustainable innovation. 

By leveraging their resources and influence, these companies can accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable technologies, paving the way for widespread implementation across industries and potentially revolutionising our approach to environmental challenges.

One company working to secure long-term viability for developing sustainable technologies is Autodesk.

Autodesk’s sustainability strategy

Autodesk’s strategic focus is across three pillars:

  • Operations
  • Customers
  • Ecosystems
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The first pillar, operations, focuses on how Autodesk is being a responsible steward of its own resources. The company is working towards a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by FY2031 compared to FY2020, 55% minimum reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions per dollar of gross profit by FY2031, compared to FY2020. Autodesk has achieved its goal of 100% renewable energy sourcing for facilities, cloud services

and employee work from home by FY2021 and neutralises residual carbon emissions for Scope 1, 2 and 3 annually beginning FY2021.

When it comes to customers, Autodesk explains: “By building and deploying the industry cloud platforms that enable our customers to connect data across teams and workflows, we can equip them with the insights they need to make better decisions throughout their design and make processes, accelerating sustainable outcomes.”

“We're transitioning to be much more of a platform company,” says Joe Speicher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Autodesk. “We're building Tandem to be open and accessible so that existing building system companies can integrate their software, validate the performance of the building in real time and connect it back to the original design intent.”

The third pillar encompasses the work that Autodesk does to support the wider ecosystem, particularly through policy and research. 

“Our philanthropy invests in technologies that we think need to exist to be able to decarbonise,” explains Joe.

“For example, we invest in the carbon removal space because we think the best thing that we can do is bring down the cost curve so that others can participate in that market. We do so by both investing in CDR companies, carbon vaccine removal companies, as well as taking carbon removal offtake.”

Autodesk Tech Center

Investing in sustainable technology

All three of Autodesk’s sustainability pillars support each other. 

“We only get to talk to customers about sustainability if we walk the walk ourselves,” Joe says. “As we support our customers, we understand the wider ecosystem and realise that, if we don't figure out how to decarbonise cement, we will have a hell of a time decarbonising the built environment – so we start investing in the materials selection space.”

The companies and developments that Autodesk invests in then become a tool that the company uses to keep its operational emissions down. 

“Eight years ago we invested in a company that we are now subsequently buying sustainable aviation fuel from, which is a great example,” Joe adds.

“Hopefully 10 years from now we will have solved the cost curve challenge associated with technologies like direct carbon capture,” he continues.

“I think one of the best things that we can do now is help reduce that cost curve such that it becomes feasible for everybody to buy carbon removals, which is why we work both the demand and supply side. 

“On the demand side, we're taking offtake of carbon dioxide removals and on the supply side we're investing in those companies and providing technical support to be able to help them reduce their costs.

“We have the ability to leverage our expertise to deliver societal value at marginal cost to us. I think it's a really interesting opportunity.”

To read the full article in the magazine, click HERE.


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