Ndustrial wins AI in Sustainability Award

Congratulations to Ndustrial, the winners of this year’s AI in Sustainability Award. Jason Massey, CEO of the US-based industrial intelligence company was in attendance at the event. “I’m surprised, pleasantly surprised,” he said after collecting the prize. 

Jason said he hopes the award will “bring awareness and show a pragmatic way of using AI in sustainability.”

And his one piece of sustainability advice? “Trust the data.” Spoken like a true believer in the power of computing.

Ndustrial, a pioneering force in industrial energy management, has leveraged artificial intelligence to drive sustainability across the industrial sector. The company's AI-powered platform integrates data from diverse industrial systems, providing real-time insights into energy intensity and enabling substantial reductions in carbon footprints.

A standout example of Ndustrial's impact is its collaboration with Lineage Logistics, the world's leading cold storage company. From 2014 to 2021, Lineage achieved a remarkable 32% reduction in energy and carbon intensity across hundreds of facilities using Ndustrial's platform. This reduction equates to removing 250,000 homes from the grid or eliminating 16,000 tanker trucks of petrol, resulting in US$32m in energy savings and avoiding 1.7 billion kWh of potential energy usage.

Ndustrial's AI solutions include a coincident peak algorithm that predicts electric grid peaks with 85% accuracy days in advance, allowing operations teams to plan and reduce power consumption during critical periods. This has led to average energy savings of 50% and over US$2.5m in avoided energy costs for customers.

The company's smart demand response solution enables facilities to safely shut down industrial systems during peak demand, effectively removing the equivalent of 650 households from the grid simultaneously. The platform also simplifies Scope 3 emissions tracking by integrating over 60 data sources, providing activity-driven carbon emissions data rather than mere algorithmic approximations.

Ndustrial's recent US$18.5m Series B funding round, co-led by ABB and GS Energy, shows its huge potential. As Ndustrial expands globally, its impact on industrial energy efficiency and carbon reduction is poised to scale significantly, addressing a sector set to become a leading source of planet-warming pollution.

Steven Downes, Editor-in-Chief, Sustainability Magazine, said: “Ndustrial’s AI-driven solutions to industrial energy management show that AI is not the bad robot in the room. Decarbonisation of industries actually depends in part on it. Congratulations, Ndustrial.”

The awards

Launched in 2024, The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024 debuted at Sustainability LIVE London on 10, September. 

The comprehensive programme acknowledges companies, professionals and projects that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and strategic thinking in a multitude of categories

The awards celebrate the best companies, professionals and projects in sustainability and ESG, and offer free entry for charities and NGOs.

“It was an honour to spotlight such a wide range of incredible companies at the inaugural Global Sustainability and ESG awards,” said Glen White, CEO of BizClik and Sustainability Magazine.
“At a time where it is crucial that companies are getting their sustainability strategy right, it is more important than ever to uplift and celebrate the frontrunners, the innovators and the pioneers who are developing innovative initiatives, projects and strategies that will have a positive impact on the planet for years to come. 
“To host the awards during Sustainability LIVE London, where we’ve brought together thousands of the world’s brightest minds in sustainability, is an incredible moment for the sector to celebrate, we encourage many more companies to enter our Awards for 2025. 
“Thanks to every company that entered - I say ‘just keep going on your journey’ and a big congratulations to every company who was shortlisted, highly commended and of course to our 15 winners – we appreciate your input more than you know.”

The AI in Sustainability Award

Recognising companies utilising AI to elevate sustainability practices, driving positive environmental impact and efficiency, The AI in Sustainability Award shortlisted companies were: 

• Ndustrial
• Lenovo

The award honoured those implementing AI to achieve tangible reductions in their carbon footprint, as well as driving resource efficiency and minimising environmental impact, and those committed to continuous improvements in sustainability. 

Highly Commended: Lenovo

Global technology giant Lenovo has made significant strides in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance its sustainable practices, particularly in the realm of electronic waste reduction and circular economy initiatives. 

At the heart of Lenovo's efforts is an innovative AI solution that automates the inspection and testing of devices, streamlining the refurbishment process. This system, which utilises edge computing, IoT sensors, machine learning and computer vision technology, has dramatically improved efficiency. Since its deployment, Lenovo has more than doubled its refurbishment output, increasing from 30 units per hour to over 65 units for a single model - a remarkable 116% boost in productivity.

The impact of this approach extends beyond efficiency gains. Lenovo reports that 71% of devices collected through its programme are either refurbished or harvested for parts, significantly contributing to the circular economy. The company has also achieved 100% on-time fulfilment of refurbished orders, coupled with annual cost savings exceeding US$100,000.

Lenovo's AI solution not only aids in real-time fault detection and repair recommendations but also provides valuable insights for future product design. The system helps engineers enhance the durability and longevity of new devices by analysing trends in component failures, further reducing environmental impact.

The company's commitment to continuous improvement in AI-driven sustainability is evident through its US$1bn investment pledge over the next three years. This funding aims to accelerate AI deployment across Lenovo's product range and identify new AI processes to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.

A prime example of this ongoing innovation is the development of the Intelligent Excessive Pre-alert system. This AI-driven process, implemented in Lenovo's worldwide distribution hub in Suzhou, China, has led to a 35% reduction in packaging materials and a decrease of 50,000 kg in carbon emissions – equivalent to saving 9,000 trees annually.

The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024

Thanks to our esteemed panel of industry leaders who judged the awards:

• Adam Elman, Google EMEA
• Angela Hultberg, Kearney
• Steve Smith, Schneider Electric
• Sophie Graham, IFS 
• Courtney Holm, The Holm Edit 
• Professor Paolo Taticchi. OMRI, UCL School of Management
• Márcia Balisciano, RELX
• Jane Goodland, LSEG
• Rahul Sareen, AWS
• Kevin Dunckley, HH Global
• Alice Spencer, CISL

The full list of awards categories and winners for 2024 is:

• Sustainability Strategy Award – Geopost
• ESG Programme Award – Liverpool FC
• Sustainable Finance Award – Scala Data Centers
• Diversity Award – Mitie
• Net Zero Award – Klarna
• Sustainable Supply Chain Award – UKL
• Sustainable Technology Award – DuPont Water Solutions
• Sustainable Consultancy Award – Forest Carbon
• Future Leader Award – Anastasia Le
• Executive of the Year Award – Preeti Srivastav
• Project of the Year Award – Amazon: The Amazon Global Refugee Challenge
• Lifetime of Achievement Award – Noel Anderson, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Red Cross
• AI in Sustainability Award – Ndustrial
• Social Enterprise Award – UKL
• Start-Up Award – EasyCep

Essential diary dates for 2024 and 2025…

Sustainability LIVE continues to expand its events with more to come in 2024 and 2025, discover our essential diary dates below.

2024 diary dates:​​​​​​​

• Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC | 24 September 2024
• Sustainability LIVE Malta | 17 October 2024
• Sustainability LIVE: Diversity & Inclusion | 12 November 2024
• NEW | The CSO Network
• NEW | ClimateTech Digital
• NEW | Scope3 Magazine

2025 diary dates: 

• Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero | 5-6 March 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Singapore | 18 March 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Dubai | 22 April 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 2025
• Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September 2025
• Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September 2025
• Sustainability LIVE: DE&I | 11 November 2025

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