Embracing Sustainability to Empower Security

Written By: Alex Tan, Commercial Director, HID Global

2021 has demonstrated a growing consensus that end users prefer to work with suppliers that adopt sustainability as a cornerstone of their business decisions and operations. In 2022, the focus on sustainability will grow, driving suppliers to increase their focus on digital solutions, including end-to-end mobile and multi-application technologies that reduce the industry’s footprint. Governments, organizations, and individuals must take immediate actions to address environmental concerns. Suppliers inevitably will need to provide footprint transparency in terms of their operations, product sourcing, and research and development (R&D) practices. Consumers, including those in the B2B space, are now placing sustainability at the center stage of their decisions, including in the security and identity industry. To accommodate this noble and worthwhile trend, security business leaders should increasingly consider initiating the sustainability strategies that drive planning to reap highly beneficial environmental, social and governance (ESG) returns.

Alex Tan

Commercial Director, Physical Access Control Solutions, Asean, HID Global

SUSTAINABILITY AND THE SECURITY AND IDENTITY INDUSTRY

Having been accustomed to low-cost operations and revenue-based management, traditional companies would expectedly be less inclined to opt for the sustainability track. The underlying trend introduces exceptional action and modernization, effectively placing sustainability at the forefront in driving longterm return on investment (ROI). According to a survey conducted by InformaTech, two-thirds of technology companies expressed that sustainability remains a top-three driver of product innovation and decision-making in the subsequent five years. Sustainability is perceived as an essential practice for organizations and not merely a trendy value-added feature. Visionary and environmentally savvy providers understand that sustainability plays an important role in technology deployment decisions. Technological advancements such as 5G networks and artificial intelligence (AI) will facilitate the deployment of endto-end and cloud-based solutions while reducing their carbon footprint. Security teams are leveraging the cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) to deliver seamless end-user experiences that utilize connected architecture, multiapplications, and mobile devices for secure access that simplifies complexities, optimizes processes, and minimizes resources. As consumers encourage businesses to disclose information on issues such as energy usage, waste minimization, and resource optimization, organizations need to define and position a clear sustainability strategy to not only adapt to but anticipate environmental, social, and regulatory changes both in the short and long term. Key drivers transforming how institutions operate include the maturity of mobile technologies, digital credentialing, and passwordless multi-factor authentication. For example, financial service institutions are pivoting from issuing plastic credit cards to implementing open banking. Universities are also embarking on a mobile-first approach by offering mobile credentials with the ability to open doors, check out library books and transact cafeteria payments amongst others. This enhanced digital model enables a tremendous reduction of plastic use, pleasing customers and end users and further fuelling manufacturers to conceive more sustainable products and solutions.

THE WAY FORWARD

Encompassing a multi-pronged approach that harnesses cross-functional alignment and commitment, leading organizations have been spurred to integrate sustainable practices into their R&D processes.