U.S. and U.K. businesses that substitute some business travel with "telepresence" can cut CO2 emissions by nearly 5.5 million metric tons in total and achieve total economy-wide financial benefits of almost $19 billion, by 2020, according to a new report.
Telepresence is an increasingly popular technology that enables groups of people to meet and collaborate in multiple locations worldwide.
The study, “The Telepresence Revolution,” was commissioned by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and sponsored by AT&T (NYSE: T).
Other conclusions of the study determined a business with $1 billion or more in annual revenue implementing four telepresence rooms could achieve a financial return on investment in as little as 15 months, while saving nearly 900 business trips in the first year.
The emissions reduction for such a firm woulbe about 2,271 metric tons over five years–the greenhouse gas equivalent of removing 434 passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
The study also revealed that telepresence technology can help speed decision-making, improve employee productivity, and provide workers with a better work-life balance.
The study was the result of in-depth interviews with executives of 15 Global 500 firms that are early adopters of telepresence–including Accenture (NYSE: ACN), Aviva (NYSE: AV), EMC (NYSE: EMC) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT).
Findings of those interviews were used to develop a detailed model to calculate the financial return on investment (ROI) and carbon reductions of telepresence.
Carbon emission reductions among U.S. companies with annual revenues over $1 billion were forecast at approximately 4.6 million metric tons by 2020, the equivalent of removing more than 875,000 passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Among large U.K companies, carbon emission reductions by 2020 were forecast at approximately 940,000 metric tons, the equivalent of removing more than 179,000 passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Total economy wide financial benefits that could be generated by 2020 as a result of large companies using telepresence in place of some business travel were forecast at over $15 billion for the U.S. and almost $4 billion in the U.K.
In addition to the industry forecasts, the report cited benefits of telepresence already achieved by companies participating in the survey. Sak Nayagam, Head of Climate Change Solutions, Sustainability Services EALA at Accenture, said, “Since adopting telepresence, Accenture has expanded its network to include more than 50 telepresence rooms across the globe. The travel saved through their use would have accounted for 6,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions globally from November 2007 through August 2009. For us, it is not so much about eliminating travel but travelling smarter and maximising the time and value of our workforce.”
The study picks up where the “SMART 2020” report, a separate initiative authored by the Climate Group in 2008, left off. “SMART 2020” identified four key areas, including travel substitution, where greater use of the products and services from the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) sector could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15% by 2020.
To read more about the study visit the link below.
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