Kulveer Ranger, Head of Strategy, Marketing and Communications at Atos, discusses how digital communications are a vital asset in combatting climate change.

Our planet is at a tipping point in the fight against climate change. All over the world, a seismic shift in the way we all live and work is needed to meet carbon reduction targets and limit global temperatures. No single country or corporation has all the answers; people from every walk of life need to share solutions and take collective action.

While there’s a long way to go, it’s clear that achieving net zero won’t be possible without the power of digital tools and data; in fact, while digital technologies represent 1.4% of global CO₂ emissions, they can help to reduce them by 15%.

Digital Vision: COP26

Atos has long been a decarbonisation leader and trailblazer, both through the solutions we deliver and as an organisation. Carbon-neutral since 2018, we know what it takes to decarbonise at scale. We set the highest carbon reduction standard for our industry and have committed to achieving net zero as soon as 2028, which is 22 years ahead of the 2050 target aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Decarbonisation is a technically complex area and, for any organisation, can be seen as an extra challenge alongside other priorities. In the year of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, we launched our Digital Vision: COP26 campaign to inform and inspire business, technology, political leaders and other influencers about the vital role of digital in measuring, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions.

Turning complexity into opportunity

We wanted to leverage our real leadership in this space, sharing experiences and ways to decarbonise faster and wider. We also wanted to engage more deeply in discussing how the climate crisis presents an opportunity for businesses to find new ways of working, building reputational and competitive advantage.

With the eyes of the world on COP26 and the surrounding issues, our aim was to be distinctive while making what can be a complex and daunting topic readily understandable, practical and relevant to wider commercial (for private sector) and public service (for public sector) agendas. At the heart of the campaign is a digital thought leadership platform with articles, infographics and video content.

Avoiding clichés

Given that Atos is a digital services company, digital communications is in our DNA. Yet more than that, with such a clear sense of collective responsibility around net zero, video has been invaluable. The launch video played an important role in gaining traction; a series of vox pops introduced more personal and accessible contributions while providing content for further engagement via social media. 

Avoiding some of the clichés around environmental issues has been key, with less focus on green landscapes and endangered animals (though they are of course vital), and more on the wider societal impacts of climate change, such as citizen action and public demos which are often ignored in corporate content.

Video continues to be an essential tool for Atos in communicating in different ways with a broad base of leaders, senior decision-makers and influencers. Building on previous campaigns, our COP26 and decarbonisation program is an evolution of our approach – giving our company a human face, creating a platform for our experts to connect meaningfully with our stakeholders, and sharing real-life and new perspectives on one of the most important and urgent challenges of our age.