Tackling climate change in Aotearoa
Accelerating to zero
With catastrophic and unpredictable weather patterns continuing to rock our planet, the onset of climate change is undeniable. Boots take to the streets to protest and placards are designed to provoke and inspire change. Yet this activity achieves little more than sparking conversation. Tangible change can only be achieved by taking actionable steps to meet the challenge.
This is what inspired Deloitte experts Andrew Wood and Rikki Stancich when the Carbon Neutral Government Programme and the Climate-related Disclosures mandate were tabled by Government, with a view to driving down emissions within public and publicly listed organisations.
Undaunted by the magnitude of the challenge, Andrew and Rikki recognised there would be a need for a tool to support organisations to establish science-based targets, define emissions abatement strategies, and manage emissions budgets to zero, inspiring the design of what would become an award-winning piece of software known as Accelerate2zero.
Developed on Workday Adaptive Planning, an enterprise planning solution, Accelerate2zero enables organisations to manage their emissions reduction strategies centrally from one platform by connecting their emissions data to their financials and science-based targets.
Businesses can holistically and efficiently allocate resources and track tangible progress towards emissions targets, all within Workday Adaptive Planning.
Setting Accelerate2zero apart is its ability to seamlessly integrate with other widely used business technologies like Xero, Oracle, SAP, and data warehouses. The integration facilitates automation of data flows, eliminating the need for manual inputs, saving time, and reducing the chances of error.
Accelerate2zero is built around the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019, and takes an organisation through a process of establishing a baseline, setting targets, identification of actionable projects to reduce emissions and cost and benefit analysis, methodically guiding organisations through their reduction strategies and keeping them on track as they navigate new regulations.
“By understanding their emissions baseline and setting a science-based target, organisations have a clearer idea about what steps they need to take to reach their targets. The beauty of this tool is that it enables firms to fully understand the impact of their emissions strategy on their balance sheet and profit and loss. For those pursuing an offset strategy, it provides a clear view of your position in terms of carbon price exposure and carbon price shields.
"This dynamic tool helps firms overlay their emissions strategy onto their core business strategy, making it easier for them to operationally decarbonise,” says Rikki, a climate change subject matter expert.
But, will Accelerate2zero deliver real change? Andrew believes it can.
“New Zealand is undergoing a transition to a lower-carbon, lower-emission economy that will impact all industries and sectors. These changes will be significant but achievable if we plan and act now,” he says.
While tackling the biggest climate challenges may seem like a herculean task, climate action is achieved by chipping away, organisation by organisation, and that’s where Accelerate2zero excels.
It’s already an award-winning tool, being used far and wide by organisations across the globe, solidifying the fact that climate change is a problem worth solving.
