Think Nagarro Today: Embracing the Eco-Digital transformation

Sustainability: A critical necessity in today's tech-driven world

In our latest TNT (Think Nagarro Today) blog, we explore the true essence of Eco-Digital and how to drive genuine change beyond mere compliance. TNT is a blog series spotlighting Nagarro’s experts. Today, we feature insights from Ashish Agrawal, Noel Cunningham, and Vaibhav Gadodia. Discover how Nagarro leads this vital movement and how our approach to Eco-Digital can transform technology for a sustainable future.

Our experts:

Ashish Agrawal is a global BU head at Nagarro and is based out of Gurgaon, India. His favorite fact about Nagarro is that in addition to people, the environment and digital solutions are at the heart of the company's focus. As a child, he always wanted to become a pilot. Since adulthood, he has been more critical about his dream career, considering important factors such as the environment. Instead of becoming a pilot, Ashish improved Nagarro's environmental footprint.

Vaibhav Gadodia, Managing Director and CTO at Nagarro, is responsible for building Nagarro’s organizational design focused on a culture of innovation. Vaibhav has a long history in the world of technology, having worn many hats – a developer, an architect, a project lead, a BU head, a sales person, in pre-sales, IT, etc. He is known to be creative and an outside-the-box thinker. Vaibhav values sustainability and digital innovation in the field of technology.

Noel Cunningham is a Managing Director and heads Nagarro's Global Design Studio. She is a champion of human-centered design and is passionate about building products, services, and experiences that create a positive impact on business and in the world. She is also committed to teaching and mentoring, and has been an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer at several top design Institutions for many years. Noel is based in Chicago, US.

Redefining Eco-Digital

Eco-Digital represents a dual approach:

1. Making existing technologies greener: This involves ensuring our everyday tools, like mobile phones, operate as efficiently and eco-friendly as possible, rather than focusing solely on external efforts like tree planting or renewable energy use.
2. Creating sustainable tech solutions: This emphasizes developing new technologies that inherently promote sustainability. This dual focus ensures businesses integrate sustainability into their core operations, moving beyond ticking boxes.

Moving beyond compliance: Proactive sustainability

Many businesses act in response to regulatory pressures, such as Europe's upcoming 2025 accessibility regulations. This reactive approach can hinder genuine progress. Eco-Digital aims to embed sustainability into the fabric of business operations, driving incremental improvements that benefit both the planet and the business. The goal is to foster a proactive stance towards sustainability.

Comprehensive approach: Green, inclusive, and ethical

While Eco-Digital has initially focused heavily on the environmental aspect, its true scope is broader, encompassing green, inclusive, and ethical technology. Technology plays a pivotal role in all three areas:

• Green technology: Reducing the environmental impact of our technological tools and solutions.
• Inclusive technology: Ensuring accessibility for all individuals, regardless of age, literacy, or physical ability.
• Ethical technology: Maintaining data privacy and ethical use of information.

Creating applications that cater to diverse user needs and safeguarding data privacy is as crucial as reducing carbon footprint. The software industry already has established standards for inclusivity and privacy. However, these standards need to be embedded within the software development lifecycle. In addition, the green aspect requires extensive exploration and innovation especially with the goal of extending hardware life and reducing energy and water consumption.

Building a foundation with learning and tools

To foster this understanding, Nagarro has developed a comprehensive learning platform in collaboration with international partners from the UK, US, and India. This platform aims to equip our team with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about sustainable practices in their daily work. Once the foundation of knowledge is laid, the next step is providing practical tools and accelerators. These tools help our employees apply their learning in real-world scenarios, enabling them to experience and contribute to sustainable solutions actively.

Practical implementation and certification

We're not just talking the talk; we're walking the walk. Nagarro is applying Eco-Digital principles internally, assessing our hardware and software for sustainability, and striving to use renewable energy sources in our offices. This hands-on approach ensures that we practice what we preach. Moreover, we're working towards creating certifications for engineers who complete our training modules. This not only validates their expertise but also helps spread the word about sustainable programming practices.

A collaborative, open-source future

The potential of Eco-Digital is vast, and collaboration is key to harnessing this potential. While there is value in using Eco-Digital as a differentiator, the greater mission of caring and driving global sustainability should prompt us to consider open-sourcing our methodologies and frameworks. Sharing our innovations can accelerate the global transition to sustainable practices, benefiting the planet and society at large. As Vaibhav Gadodia suggests, the differentiation lies in execution, not just in the idea.

The broader impact and future goals

Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond our internal operations. We're collaborating with standards bodies and contributing to the development of certified standards for Eco-Digital practices. By advocating for and participating in these efforts, we aim to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices across the industry. The ultimate goal is to make sustainable software development as ubiquitous and straightforward as any other aspect of digital engineering. Peter Hammer underscores that changing our engineering practices can directly impact the solutions we deliver to our clients, making sustainability a fundamental part of our business model.

Conclusion

At Nagarro, we believe that every step towards sustainability, no matter how small, contributes to a larger, positive impact on the planet. By fostering a culture of learning, collaboration, and practical implementation, we're not just preparing for the future; we're actively shaping it. Our journey towards Eco-Digital is a testament to our commitment to creating a better, greener world through technology.

The journey towards a sustainable future requires more than regulatory compliance—it demands a fundamental shift in how we integrate sustainability into our daily operations. Eco-Digital embodies this shift, offering a pathway to make our technology greener, more inclusive, and ethically sound. By embedding these principles into the core of our business practices and potentially open-sourcing our innovations, we can drive meaningful, global change. The future of sustainability is not just about ticking boxes; it’s about transforming our approach to technology and business for the betterment of the planet and society. Together, we can make Eco-Digital the new norm and ensure that our technological advancements contribute to a brighter, more sustainable future for all.