How CSOs should use AI for sustainability: KPMG’s US ESG lead
As AI adoption grows, companies are integrating it into sustainability and ESG efforts. Despite concerns over AI's energy demands, KPMG U.S. ESG Lead Maura Hodge highlights its potential to help CSOs reduce environmental impact, manage and report data, forecast trends, and design sustainable products. She notes that recent regulatory shifts in the U.S. and EU allow companies to move beyond compliance toward using AI to enhance decision-making and efficiency. KPMG itself uses AI to streamline Scope 3 emissions calculations, improving accuracy and influencing purchasing behavior. Hodge also stresses the need to balance AI benefits with its energy footprint, urging companies to consider data center locations and renewable energy options. She sees AI playing a key role in areas like supply chain transparency, real-time monitoring, and automating sustainability reporting, helping businesses shift from compliance to proactive sustainability management.
