Future Planet world’s first AI platform enables businesses combat climate change challenges

Future Planet, an Irish-developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) based sustainability transformation platform that is a world first in enabling businesses to map and deliver their sustainability ambitions, has been launched.

Created by software entrepreneur, Donal Daly and sustainability supply chain expert, Ingrid De Doncker, Future Planet is the only software solution of this kind on the market. The cloud-based platform maps out, and builds, a company’s sustainability journey, defining target outcomes and enabling an actionable plan. Traditionally, using a sustainability consultancy firm takes on average six weeks for in-depth analysis. Using Future Planet will reduce this to less than a day — saving time and resources.

The team have also launched a free personal carbon footprint app, available on IOS and Android, for the general public and employees working from home to assess their own CO2 emissions. This will mean companies can include their team’s home working in their emissions calculations.

With the country’s first carbon budget due to be announced and the gathering of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), major changes are imminent to everyday lives to bring climate change under control. Ireland has made a commitment to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050 and a 51% reduction by 2030. This requires a reduction of at least 7% per annum.

Future Planet founder Donal Daly said: “Businesses have a crucial role in meeting the net-zero target by reducing their own emissions. Almost 70 of Ireland’s largest companies have publicly signed The Low Carbon Pledge, committing to recording and reducing their carbon footprint. This is an encouraging start, but more need to get onboard. Tighter mandatory restrictions for businesses on emissions are inevitable. If not outlined at the upcoming COP26, they will be developed in the near future. 

“The stakes are real for companies. Outside of climate change being a collective crisis for humankind, failure to have carbon targets in place can impact access to capital, the ability to attract new investors, retain customer loyalty and also affect attracting top talent. However, the challenge for many businesses is that they see corporate climate action as being both costly and complicated. Our mission is to be part of the solution, making it easier for companies to build a clear roadmap that will help them define and achieve their sustainability targets while delivering their commercial goals.”

The AI software has synthesised 30 main sustainability challenges that companies face into an easily understood structure. It incorporates knowledge relating to the main reference bodies and ratings agencies such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and other key global standards.

Future Planet’s Head of Research and Innovation Ingrid De Doncker added: “The software dramatically removes barriers for responsible business leaders who are trying to deliver sustainability projects but who struggle because of a lack of time or knowledge. Through assessment, individual journeys, and reporting, the platform discovers a company’s sustainability maturity, calculates a score, and builds an instant report to create a transformation plan. This lets all stakeholders know the actions they need to take to improve and meet their targets.”

Speaking on the launch of Future Planet, Norman Crowley, CEO of Cool Planet Group said: “Climate change is the critical challenge for our planet, we know that. For more than a decade we have been helping companies reduce their emissions, and we are really excited about what Future Planet brings to help solve that problem. The approach is unique, and recognises that reducing emissions doesn’t necessarily mean reducing profits. In fact it shows that the opposite can be true by using AI to help a business grow while reducing its impact on the planet.”

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