netCompaniesaredecarbonizing.Buthowcantheygofaster?DestinationAbouttheauthorsContributorsStephanieJamisonGlobalSustainabilityServicesLeadandGlobalResourcesIndustryPracticeChairStephanieisAccenture’sglobalResourcesIndustryPracticesChair,whichincludestheutilities,chemicals,naturalresourcesandenergyindustries.SheisalsoAccenture’sglobalSustainabilityServicesLead.Intheseroles,andasamemberofAccenture’sGlobalManagementCommittee,StephaniehasresponsibilityforhelpingAccentureclientsreachtheirnetzerotargetsandbroadersustainabilitygoals.MauroisthecurrentPresidentandCEOofAccentureEMEA,aswellastheICEGMarketUnitLeadandamemberofAccenture’sGlobalManagementCommittee.Hehasover30yearsofexperienceatAccentureandhasheldvariousexecutivepositions,includingtheFinancialServicesEuropeLeadandtheStrategy&ConsultingLeadforEurope.MauricioistheManagingDirectorleadingCarbonStrategyandIntelligenceatAccenture,focusingonnetzerotransitionsandsustainability.Heworksacrossmultiplesectors,includingsustainability,energy,utilities,chemicals,andnaturalresources.Mauricioco-leadsAccenture’sNetZeroIndustryTransitionsgrowthareaandispartoftheglobalenergytransitionleadership.BabakisaSeniorPrincipalwithinAccentureResearch,focusingonsustainability.HehasledtheresearchfortheDestinationNetZeroseriessince2022.BabakMoussaviSeniorPrincipal–AccentureResearchMauroMacchiCEO-EMEAMatthewRobinsonAnaClaraGimenezJoshElkindDibyajyotiDashGuillaumeSimonShalabhKumarSinghRebeccaTanReginaMarucaBenMurrayWillJenkinsDominicKingMoniquedeRitterMauricioBermudezNeubauerManagingDirector–Strategy&Consulting,CarbonStrategy&IntelligenceLead2DestinationnetzeroPrefaceThejourneytonetzeropresentsanunprecedentedopportunityforbusinessestodriveinnovation,unlocknewvalueandleadintheglobalenergytransition.Acrossindustries,ourdatashowsthattheworld’slargestcompaniesaremakingmeaningfulprogresstowardtheirdecarbonizationgoals—thisisunequivocallygoodnewsfortheglobalpushtonetzero.Butdespitethismomentum,progressisn’tfastenough.Asoncedistantglobalclimatetargetsbecomenear-termbusinesspriorities,onlyasmallpercentageoftheworld’slargestcompaniesareontracktorealizenetzerobymidcentury.Thisisevenasregulatorsacrosstheworldenforceincreasinglystringentsustainabilitydisclosureandperformancerequirements.Keyframeworks—suchastheEuropeanUnion’sCorporateSustainabilityReportingDirective(CSRD),theUSSEC’sClimate-RelatedDisclosures(CRDs),andstandardsfromtheInternationalSustainabilityStandardsBoard(ISSB)—areraisingthebarforaccountabilityandcomprehensiveESGreportingacrossindustries.Andyet,thedataisclear:moreneedstobedone.So,whatwillittaketopickupthepace?Mostpromisingintheneartermisthewidespreadadoptionofprovendecarbonizationstrategies,suchasenhancingenergyefficiencyandincreasingtheuseofrenewableenergy.Acrossindustries,ourdataindicatesthatthesestrategieshavebecomestandardbusinesspractice,reducingemissionswhiledrivinginnovationandcreatingvalue.Lookingahead,cutting-edgetechnologieslikeartificialintelligence(AI)arepoisedtoaccelerateprogress.AsexploredinourrecentcollaborationwiththeUnitedNationsGlobalCompact,AIcanplayapivotalroleinadvancingarangeofsustainabilitygoals.WhilestilltoofewbusinessesareleveragingAIfordecarbonization,itisalreadyhelpingsomepioneeringcompaniestooptimizeenergyuseandimproveoperationalefficiency.ThepotentialofAItoenablereal-timedecision-making,predictemissionsho...