ISA paper offers guidance on role of automation in ESG activities

The International Society of Automation (ISA) published a new position paper “Achieving Sustainability Goals with Automation.”

ISA explained in a press statement that automation technology has changed the way we live and work – and has increased productivity, efficiency, and profitability for organizations and individuals the world over. As the paper describes, automation also has a significant role to play in achieving sustainability goals – offering new ways to accelerate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities across manufacturing, industry, and beyond.

In the paper, ISA offers specific recommendations for organizations seeking to demonstrate ESG leadership through the application of automation technologies and systems, including:

• Optimizing energy usage by using automation to manage lighting, heating and cooling systems
• Relying upon advanced sensors and other automation technologies to reduce the risk of injury to personnel by isolating hazardous processes
• Providing accountability and transparency by surfacing data and offering objective analysis
• Creating new jobs and upskilling opportunities as needs and technologies evolve – the World Economic Forum estimates an additional 12 million new jobs created by 2023 due to automation

“ISA has led the automation profession for 78 years, and we are pleased to continue our thought leadership by offering recommendations on how sustainability and automation can drive business excellence,” said Prabhu Soundarrajan, ISA president-elect secretary. “We see a symbiotic relationship between sustainability and automation. Industry and manufacturing organizations have much to gain by embracing sustainable automation practices, and businesses that have not already relied on automation technologies and standards to a significant degree will find that doing so helps them achieve their sustainability goals.”