LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY

Daniel played a crucial role in developing SAP ’ s sustainability reporting platform , which helps clients navigate these regulations .

“ For SAP , fulfilling our vision to ‘ make the world run better and improve people ’ s lives ’ is not just an idealistic , altruistic or moral goal ,” says Matthias . “ We are convinced that through sustainable strategy , we will be more successful as a company in the long term . Sustainable practices lead to increased efficiency and cost savings , as well as attraction and retention of top talent .

“ Moreover , by addressing environmental and social impacts proactively , we reduce risks and create more resilient supply chains .

“ This ultimately drives innovation , opens new market opportunities and ensures the long-term viability and competitiveness of SAP .”

Daniel ’ s approach to sustainability extended beyond environmental metrics . Under his leadership , SAP introduced social impact measurements into its procurement processes and established a supplier diversity programme that increased spending with minority-owned businesses by 45 %.

“ I am a firm believer that sustainability cannot be an add-on topic ,” Daniel says . “ For long-term success , companies need to truly embed sustainability in their business strategy , processes and operations end-to-end .”

Challenges for sustainability in the tech sector The technology sector ’ s sustainability challenges remain significant – data centres now account for approximately 2 % of global energy consumption , with projections suggesting this could rise to 8 % by 2030 . Despite progress in renewable energy adoption , the industry ’ s absolute emissions continue to rise due to growing demand for cloud services and data processing .

SAP addressed this paradox through its SAP cloud ERP portfolio , which helps clients optimise their cloud usage while minimising environmental impact .

What is Daniel ’ s legacy ? It is undeniable that the impact that Daniel has had on SAP ’ s sustainability strategy will be felt for years .

The programmes and initiatives that he has started will continue to have an impact .

Despite retiring from his role at SAP , he will remain in the sustainability field as Chairman of the Board at econsense , where he expects to continue collaborating with SAP .

86 January 2025