Many industries and sustainability are closely linked, as industrial activities can contribute to environmental degradation and climate change. However, some organisations are taking steps to become more sustainable in their operations and IT solutions. This includes measures such as:
- being more efficient
- reducing their environmental impact
- minimising the adverse effects on communities
Despite these efforts, these organisations continue to provide essential products and services to society. However, to ensure that they are addressing global challenges and contributing to a more sustainable future, it’s important for them to align their sustainability policies and practices with the SDGs. The SDGs provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to sustainability and guide organisations to implement sustainable policies and practices. Additionally, it serves as a benchmark for organisations to measure their progress and evaluate the impact of their sustainability initiatives.
What are SDGs?
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The SDGs cover various issues such as poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water, energy, economic growth, and climate change. Organisations, including complex engineering organisations, can use the SDGs as a guide to attain sustainable development in the 21st century. (Source: Sustainable Development Goals)
How can an eDMS make an impact on your organisation’s SDGs?
(Read more: What is document management, and what is a DMS? )
In today’s business world, organisations of all types aim to reduce their environmental footprint and meet sustainability goals. This is particularly important for those organisations that are involved in complex projects which have a significant impact on the environment. To meet these sustainability goals, many organisations are turning to an electronic document management systems (eDMS) to help them streamline their processes, reduce their environmental impact, and increase efficiency.
An eDMS can help organisations by digitising all paper documents, which reduces the need for physical storage and minimises paper use, a significant contributor to deforestation. Additionally, eDMS can automate workflows like reviews and approvals. It reduces the need for the physical movement of documents, reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption while improving collaboration.
The system also provides secure access to documents, enhancing data security. Furthermore, many eDMS have analytics tools/integrations that can track document usage and identify areas for improvement. The tools help organisations tailor document management processes and reduce environmental impact.
Let’s explore the SDGs that an eDMS relates to:
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
By automating document management processes, organisations can increase productivity and efficiency, supporting the goal of decent work and economic growth.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
By implementing digital storage and automated workflows, organisations can support the goal of Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure by increasing efficiency and reducing waste in their document management processes.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
An eDMS reduces the need for physical storage and minimises paper use. Additionally, automating workflows such as approvals and routing can reduce the need for the physical movement of documents.
SDG 13: Climate Action
Organisations can support the climate action goal by reducing the carbon emissions associated with document management processes, such as travel for document review and approval.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
By implementing secure access to documents, organisations can support the goal of peace, justice, and strong institutions by protecting sensitive information, ensuring data security, and complying with regulations related to data security.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Collaborating on documents through a document management system can help organisations work more effectively with partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders to achieve the SDGs.
Summary
Investing in an electronic document management system is crucial to achieving sustainability goals for organisations. While the benefits of eDMS in reducing paper usage, energy consumption, and carbon emissions have been highlighted, there are additional reasons why organisations should invest in eDMS for sustainability policies. Implementing an eDMS is a strategic move that can improve efficiency, compliance, and cost savings. This can help organisations manage their resources better, streamline their document management processes and achieve sustainability goals.
