Digital sustainability: adesso and XU launch joint digital learning offer

New course “Digital Sustainability by adesso” gives companies the basis for the strategic integration of sustainability and digitalization
Four hours of interactive learning content is taught in six coordinated modules, including topics such as software development, sustainable technology selection and circular IT
Until now, many employees and decision-makers lacked the necessary expertise to consider sustainability in the digital sector

Berlin/Dortmund, January 31, 2023

The two strategic partners XU and adesso are launching a jointly developed online qualification program on the future competence of sustainability in IT: the “Digital Sustainability by adesso” course. It is part of the XU School of Sustainability initiated by XU in partnership with ClimatePartner and is accessible via XU’s online education and exchange platform. In this way, XU and adesso are addressing the core reason for the lack of certainty in this area. XU and adesso are convinced that sustainability and digitalization must be developed and driven forward in harmony with each other: This is the only way for companies to exploit the full innovation and sustainability potential of digitalization, while at the same time containing the risks of digitalization for the environment and society. So far, however, digital processes and IT infrastructure have not been sufficiently evaluated and optimized in terms of sustainability. The experience of both partners from their collaboration with companies has shown that many employees and decision-makers simply lack the necessary knowledge to appropriately consider sustainability in the digital world – which creates a great need for training in this area.

Six learning modules lay the foundation for practice-oriented, sustainable IT strategies

In the “Digital Sustainability” course, employees learn about the key connections between digitalization and sustainability through interactive learning formats. The various learning modules provide the core knowledge required to identify specific fields of action, derive and prioritize measures for their area of responsibility and then put these into practice. After completing the course, learners are therefore also familiar with the key drivers, challenges and potentials of the use of digital technologies for companies and can continuously incorporate these findings into the strategic orientation of their organization and thus actively promote the topic of sustainability. This course content is supplemented and thematically deepened by interactive, regular live sessions with adesso experts on XU’s online education and exchange platform.

Course content at a glance:

• Digital sustainability: drivers, challenges and opportunities

• Sustainable design: designing sustainable digital solutions

• Sustainable software engineering: technology selection and implementation

• Operations: Operating sustainable digital solutions

• End-of-Life: Circular IT as a sustainable solution for e-waste

• Best practices: Fields of action for digital sustainability transformation

The potential of digitalization must not come at the expense of sustainability

The use of digital technologies in particular can support the achievement of sustainability goals in many industries – whether through data-driven efficiency gains or digital innovations. However, digital processes and technologies themselves must also be specifically designed to be more sustainable in order to counteract undesirable reversal effects in the transformation. If the technologization of processes and applications continues unhindered, the processing of digital data could cause 14% of global emissions by 2040[1] – which is roughly equivalent to the USA’s current share. Such developments need to be counteracted with suitable, sustainably designed digital solutions. XU and adesso are convinced that one of the most effective ways to do this is to provide education and certainty of action precisely where decisions are made every day in connection with digital strategies: in the IT and digital teams of companies.

“Only when employees are aware of the pitfalls and understand the impact of their daily actions can they work on efficient solutions and reorient themselves in terms of sustainability. Companies therefore have a responsibility to provide their employees with access to the necessary knowledge so that they can subsequently make sustainable decisions on their own responsibility, become aware of the interrelationships of their actions and actively promote the topic in their organization on a daily basis,” says Dr. Christopher Jahns, CEO and founder of XU.

Andreas Prenneis, Member of the Executive Board at adesso, says: “We have condensed our expertise in sustainable IT for this course. Companies and their employees learn everything relevant to the topic in a kind of crash course. Afterwards, employees will have a broad overview of the future topic of our time and will be able to classify their company and the strategies and actions required to reduce their CO2 footprint.”

The course “Digital Sustainability by adesso” can be booked at the XU School of Sustainability – the online education and exchange platform for future competence in sustainability. All further information can be found here.

^[1] https://www.computerworld.com/article/3431148/why-data-centres-are-the-new-frontier-in-the-fight-against-climate-change.html

About adesso SE

adesso is one of the leading IT service providers in the German-speaking world and focuses on the core business processes of companies and public administrations with consulting and individual software development. adesso’s strategy is based on three pillars: the comprehensive industry know-how of its employees, a broad, vendor-neutral technological expertise and proven methods for the implementation of software projects. With tailor-made IT solutions, adesso strengthens the competitiveness of companies and organizations in the target sectors of insurance/reinsurance, banking and financial services, healthcare and life sciences, energy supply, public administration, automotive and manufacturing industries, trade, transport companies, media and entertainment, as well as lotteries.

adesso was founded in Dortmund in 1997 and currently employs more than 6,800 people (full-time equivalent/FTE) in the adesso Group, which corresponds to more than 7,500 employees in terms of headcount. adesso shares are listed in the Prime Standard/SDAX. Key customers in the banking segment include Commerzbank, KfW, DZ Bank, Helaba, Union Investment, BayernLB and DekaBank. In the insurance segment they include Munich Re, Hannover Re, DEVK, DAK, Zurich Versicherung, Medizinischer Dienst der Krankenversicherung (MDK-IT). In addition, cross-sectoral clients include Mercedes-Benz, Bosch, Westdeutsche Landesbank, the German Insurance Association, Westdeutsche Lotterie, Swisslos, DZR Deutsches Zahnärztliches Rechenzentrum, TÜV Rheinland, REWAG, the Procurement Office of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Bavarian State Ministry of Justice.

Further information can be found at www.adesso.de

Agency Contact

Louis Sternberg

fischerAppelt

louis.sternberg@fischerappelt.de

Contact XU

Josephine Gallée

Corporate Communication

mediarelations@stage.xu-website.u2463.com

Contact ADESSO

Eva Wiedemann

Corporate Communications/Press Office

eva.wiedemann@adesso.de

About XU Group

Founded in 2016, XU Group GmbH develops innovative (further) education formats for companies and their employees as well as for individuals via its own online education and exchange platform. The EdTech company focuses on the three future-oriented fields of digitalization, e-mobility and sustainability. In the B2B and B2B2C area, XU focuses on sustainable upskilling and reskilling programs (further education and professional requalification). XU’s clients include Bosch, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Post DHL, Grohe, HDI, Otto Group, Porsche, Schwarz-Lidl, Volkswagen and ZF Friedrichshafen as well as family-owned companies such as Baerlocher, Bitburger and Vorwerk. In the B2C sector, XU offers a wide range of courses to individuals at all career entry levels and age groups. XU itself as well as over 121 hours of courses have been AZAV-certified by TÜV Nord since 2020. The courses are eligible for funding from the Federal Employment Agency.   XU works with content and tech partners such as AWS, ClimatePartner, PEM Motion, Salesforce and LinkedIn to develop up-to-date learning content.