Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria measure the actions a company is taking to leave the world a better place for future generations. Criteria such as waste management, equality , natural resource conservation, pollution, and energy-saving all get measured. 

Companies are investing in their ESG levels now more than ever, not only to become a ‘stewards of nature’, but also because consumers are more likely to bond with and buy from companies that invest in the future of the world  A result of this recent strong preference for eco-conscious products is ‘responsible investing’. Pensionfunds and institutional investors are increasingly evaluating companies by the their ESG performance, which turns it into a big part of many corporate strategies. According to Metrikus, a space management platform, the value of ESG driven assets has almost doubled over four years and more than tripled over eight years, hitting $45 trillion in 2020. 

The use of technology has the power to change the future of the world. Companies that invest in ESG get rewarded for their efforts: they are more likely to attract and retain talent, increase their stock liquidity, and overall take a broader role in society. Technology; PropTech and IoT for instance can play a big role in achieving this.

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There are many ways technology can help improving ESG. Environmental impact can for example be decreased with cloud services. Investing in a cloud-based access control solution such as SALTO KS where the data is stored in the cloud can be a great way to improve your ESG levels. Storing data in the cloud can save a lot of money in energy costs while boosting overall efficiency, productivity, and ease of access. But it doesn't stop here. By having smart access management in place you increase awareness in space usage, as a result, you avoid unnecessary heating, lighting, and cleaning and even can avoid spreading viruses like Covid-19. All of these contribute to your ESG levels. Together with the hardware that’s covered with the antimicrobial BioCote coating that reduces the number of microbes up to 99.99% this solution can be a big part of your corporate strategy to elevate your ESG levels.

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Getting all smart solutions to "talk" to each other enabled by integration with the API is certainly a priority as a next step,  it can make every space more environmentally friendly by more efficient use of energy. By letting the systems talk to each other, it is possible to adjust the thermostat in a certain space in response to the weather forecast that is picked up by the home assistant, for example. Is your space cold in the morning but warm in the afternoon? The thermostat will automatically go down one or two degrees when the office heats up gradually by the sun. Thanks to the integration with SALTO KS you could even see which spaces are not being used that day so that the thermostat and ventilation will turn off in those areas automatically.

These are just some example of how ESG can be improved by using novel technologies, and there are many more opportunities to come.

SALTO systems engages in a range of environmental policies to minimize the impact of the business and manufacturing operations on the environment. Read here how SALTO Systems is contributing to a more sustainable tomorrow.

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