SAP Details Sustainable Business Strategy With Release of Fourth Annual Sustainability Report

SAP NEWSBYTE - - With sustainability core to its strategy of making the world run better, SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today released its fourth annual sustainability report. The 2010 SAP Sustainability Report showcases SAP’s belief that in a better-run world IT helps companies operate profitably and sustainably, IT leaders become sustainability leaders and IT drives opportunity for everyone. Integrated with the 2010 Annual Report, the sustainability report supports transparency and engagement by encouraging a two-way dialogue with stakeholders via social media platforms.

“Recognizing the connection among challenges in today’s world, the role of IT and the importance of innovation to drive progress, sustainability is at the heart of our business,” said Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president of Sustainability Solutions, SAP. “From our innovation road map to our focus on leadership and people development, it is shaping our business at every level. Our report offers a view into how we are not simply embracing a sustainability strategy, but rather making our corporate strategy sustainable.”

Specifically, the report details the company’s progress in driving impact via the delivery of innovative customer solutions that turn sustainability into a business opportunity, leveraging innovation to improve SAP’s own sustainable operations, and pursuing social innovation to help meet people’s basic needs and create sustainable growth and economic opportunity.

SAP highlights 2010 progress in each of these areas throughout the report. For example, with regard to operations, the company has reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by six percent despite strong revenue growth. In its third year of consecutive GHG reductions, SAP has cut GHG emissions by 25 percent from peak levels in 2007, putting the company well on track to achieve its target of reducing emissions to 2000 levels by 2020. The primary contributors to the GHG savings in 2010 were energy-efficiency projects, changes in employee commuting behavior and the continued purchase of renewable energy, which now accounts for 48 percent of all electricity used by SAP.

As commitment to social impact is a critical piece of the company’s sustainability efforts, the report details the organizations ongoing efforts to positively impact one million lives. In 2010, this included the first global SAP Month of Service, the contribution of over 59,000 volunteer hours and the donation of technology solutions to 715 non-profit organizations.

As a pioneer in innovative sustainability reporting, SAP again introduces new, unique functionality in this year’s report. To encourage an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders, the report is available in an online, interactive format — accessible via mobile devices, including iPad — that features tight integration with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. To better align sustainability with financial performance, it is also integrated with the 2010 Annual Report.

SAP measured, monitored and reported its sustainability performance using data sourced from SAP® solutions, including the SAP® Carbon Impact OnDemand, the SAP® BusinessObjects™ Sustainability Performance Management application and SAP BusinessObjects Explorer™ software. Responding to stakeholder demands for increased transparency, the technology will allow SAP to report on sustainability metrics on a quarterly basis for the second year in a row rather than the usual annual cycle.