Accenture to help e& shape and drive sustainable procurement strategy

Hot on the heels of unveiling its upped net zero commitment for its operations, e& has selected Accenture as its strategic partner for the procurement side of its ambition.

At COP28, the CEO of e& confirmed that the technology company has the intention to go beyond its previous net zero commitment. At COP27, e& said that it aimed to achieve a net zero operation for its UAE business by 2030.

Now, the company has raised the bar, stating that it aims to achieving zero carbon emissions across its operations in all markets by 2040.

“At e&, we go beyond envisioning a green future, but are actively shaping it through our cutting-edge digital solutions and sustainable practices. We are proud to move forward and commit to achieving zero carbon across our own group operations, in all our markets by 2040,” said Hatem Dowidar, CEO of e&.

Underpinning the sustainability vision is a comprehensive roadmap towards net zero across scope 1 emissions (direct emissions by assets that are owned/controlled by e&) and scope 2 emissions (emissions from the use of sourced goods and services).

Notably, scope 3 emissions – indirect emissions that occur across the value chain and are outside of e&’s direct control – are not part of the freshly upped net zero goals, although the Abu Dhabi headquartered company did re-confirm it remains committed to net zero emissions across its entire value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions) by 2050.

Dowidar: “Our strategy is multi-faceted: improving energy efficiency, investing in renewable energy, minimising grid waste and promoting responsible procurement. In addition, our ‘Sustainability as a Service’ initiative enables businesses to minimise their environmental impact, underlining our role as a catalyst in the global sustainability efforts.”

Responsible procurement

Supporting the responsible procurement pillar is Accenture, named a strategic partner of the program.

The collaboration will see Accenture play a crucial role in advancing e&’s responsible sourcing strategy by developing a three-year roadmap and a robust supplier engagement framework designed to embed sustainability principles across e&’s entire supply chain.

The global consulting firm will also work with e& to define the value proposition for investing in responsible sourcing and shape e&’s future technology architecture with sustainability embedded at the core.

Accenture will also coordinate initiatives for reducing scope 2 and scope 3 emissions, including those geared at third party suppliers, ecosystem partners, and communities. Objectives encompass upskilling talent on sustainability, stimulating innovation, strengthening supplier collaboration, advocating circular economy principles, amplifying sustainable value creation that supports local economies, and demonstrating dedication to preserving natural and biological diversity.

Commenting on the ambition, Saeed Al Zarooni, Chief Procurement Officer at e&, said, “By fostering innovation, resilience, and sustainability, we intend to set new industry standards and inspire others to join us on this transformational journey towards a greener, more sustainable future for the telecom and technology industries in the Middle East.”

Al Zarooni added that Accenture will play a “crucial role in reshaping our procurement function and driving positive change throughout our supply chain.”

Last month, Accenture was named one of the Middle East’s top consulting firms for both procurement and sustainability, as well as digital. Angelo Lorusso, managing director at Accenture, said that bringing these capabilities together will enable the firm to help e& to realise its sustainable procurement vision.

“Responsible procurement is an essential element in every company’s sustainability approach. The long-term value that e& aims for across its stakeholders will serve as a model to others seeking to generate value and impact. The digital foundation we will create together will streamline processes, improve business decisions and embed sustainability across e&’s value chain and all emission boundaries,” Lorusso said.

Progress so far

Since announcing its net zero commitment at COP27, e& has already made strong progress in reducing emissions across its own operations through strategic measures such as increased use of renewable energy sources and deployment of the latest generation of energy-efficient radio equipment.

The company’s climate transition roadmap, as well as the targets and goals, are being validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

In March this year, e& agreed a deal with IBM. The cooperation sees IBM provide a range of sustainability software solutions for supporting e&’s ESG goals, while IBM Consulting is providing advisory services around the ESG agenda.