The two major trends in industry are digital transformation and sustainability. Are these two trends at odds? Or can they complement one another?

J Schwan, Global CEO at Kin + Carta says that his company, a global digital transformation consultancy that operates at the intersection of technology, data and experience, is dedicated to achieving this convergence: 

“Kin + Carta helps our clients unlock sustainable digital transformation. Our purpose is to build a world that works better for everyone. And the last part of that purpose — for everyone — is really the soul of the company. Everything that we do, we take a lens of how it might impact all people and the planet directly and indirectly.”

Taking such a granular view means that work cannot be carried out at a distance. Fortunately, Michelle McGuire, Chief of Staff at Kin + Carta says that the global vision of the company is implemented with boots on the ground:

“Connectivity is both a value and a brand promise for us. We have our platform teams that globally set standards and practices and then it’s our practice teams that hone the craft for our data scientists, engineers and designers. We don’t force fit anything though; we have standards and processes at a global level that help with efficiency, but it’s really our teams on the ground regionally that know their clients best and create those experiences for them.”

Many of the world’s largest corporations are moving towards changing their behavior to be more sustainable. Morgan Kainth, Principal Strategist at Kin + Carta says that these big announcements are just the first step and that making it happen requires more work:

“You’ve got to think about the infrastructure, the tooling, the architecture, and how you are going to build those services in a way that is mindful and efficient. After that, you have to think about how you prioritize the problems to solve because you can’t do everything all of the time. With digital, there is a kind of unitary relationship between how much you use and how much carbon you emit, so the answer isn’t just moving a manual process online. That’s not going to save the planet. Instead, we need to be thinking about how you design and build services so that there’s less waste, less data transfer and less carbon emission for the long term.”

Aside from technology changes, Jennifer Crowley, Director of Consulting Services & Sustainability at Kin + Carta says that digital transformation must be accompanied by a shift in culture: 

“Digital transformation is not just about the technology, the infrastructure, the technical bits. We deliberately and intentionally increased our emphasis on particular aspects of sustainable digital transformation. By that I mean inclusive algorithms. We are designing out that built-in bias from the past. We invest in sustainable computing and accessible design, making all digital products and services accessible to everyone. Incorporating these into what we do and how we work with clients helps us bring disparate strategies of sustainability and digital transformation closer together.”

Kin + Carta has recently been certified as a  B Corporation, making the organization the first publicly-traded business to be certified on the London Stock Exchange. The B Corp accreditation is a recognised hallmark for leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. Achieving certification, says J Schwan, was difficult, but worthwhile and marks a fundamental change in how the business is run:  

“One of the reasons why we’re so excited to be the first B Corp certified business on the London stock exchange is that it shows our ability to set an example for other businesses. One of the things that we had to do is bring a vote to our shareholders, to have them change our articles of association to explicitly say that we’ll balance the needs of our people and planet, as well as the company’s profits in our decision making.”

At the final vote, shareholders voted ‘yes’ by an overwhelming 99 percent.

The result is that clients feel that when they work with Kin + Carta, they are working with an organization that prioritizes sustainable and ethical objectives alongside their own particular business outcomes. They also have a transformation partner able to marshall the data and technology that will impact a business far into the future. 

As J Schwan says, technology may feel like it is always changing and developing, but the underlying values of a business and the need to play to the top of talent never changes: 

“Creating a socially responsible business is a marathon. It’s not a sprint.”