Microsoft Ignite 2023: Sustainability Enters AI, Cloud Services and Surface Hardware Sessions

When the Microsoft Ignite 2023 conference kicks off, discussions about sustainability will emerge in multiple AI (artificial intelligence), cloud services and Microsoft Surface hardware sessions.

Indeed, key partners such as Avanade, Capgemini and Cherry Bekaert will discuss various sustainability solutions and strategies during their conference sessions.

The overall conference -- scheduled for November 14-17 in Seattle, Washington -- is designed for IT professionals, administrators, implementers, developers, data architects, application engineers, cloud architects, senior advisors, security professionals, and decision-makers.

Microsoft Ignite 2023: Sustainability on the Agenda

Dive into the Microsoft Ignite 2023 conference agenda, and you'll find six sustainability sessions. The topics of discussion will include:

1. AI-powered solutions with Microsoft: This on-site session will show attendees how to envision, execute and operate solutions that run on Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. The software allows customers to track, monitor and report sustainability progress for internal, external and compliance requirements. Speakers include Aviral Sharma and Satheesh Sebastian from Capgemini, the global IT consulting company.

2. Surface Repair and Service - Enabling Enterprise Sustainability: This is a pre-recorded, online only session. Microsoft's Brett Boyovich and Gregg Hohman will explain how Microsoft Surface devices have been designed with "both longevity and the environment in mind." It's safe to expect some managed IT services and/or remote IT management discussions in this session.

3. Modern Integrations - AI, Sustainability, Aure and the Power Platform: This is a pre-recorded, online-only session. Nate Regimbal and Trace Armstrong from Cherry Bekaert -- an accounting firm with IT and ESG expertise -- will describe an e-signature platform, while also exploring how solutions built on Microsoft Azure can "enable utilities, campuses and communities to hit their clean energy goals."

4. Get Ready for ESG Regulation with Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability: This is an in-person and online session. Microsoft's Brandon Potter, Kevin Magarian and Shefy Manayil Kareem will describe how regulations like CSRD "will require many organizations to provide transparency into their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability progress." Naturally, Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability is positioned to address those reporting challenges.

5. Report and Accelerate ESG Progress Q&A: This in-person and online session, featuring Microsoft's Brandon Potter, Kevin Magarian and Shefy Manayil Kareem, is designed as an open Q&A for attendees.

6. Avanade Cloud Impact - Unparalleled Azure Insight: Avanade's Heath Whelan and Steve Hunter will describe how Avanade Cloud Impact for Azure "delivers rich insights and tailored recommendations across cost, business risk, technical debt and sustainability." Avanade is an IT consulting firm and MSP backed by Accenture and Microsoft.

Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability: Key Software Tools, Vertical Market Services

Admittedly, many of the discussions will tie back to Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability -- a growing platform of services that include:

• Microsoft Sustainability Manager;
• Emissions Impact Dashboard;
• Environmental Credit Service (available in preview);
• Project ESG Lake (preview);
• CSRD template in Microsoft Purview Compliance manager (preview); and
• Azure Data Manager for Agriculture (preview).

Microsoft also is developing sustainability services for such vertical markets as the automotive sector, energy, financial services, manufacturing, retail and buildings.

Key Challenges: Microsoft's overall sustainability strategy is aggressive, but the strategy faces multiple question marks -- especially in the area of carbon removal, Axios notes.

More Conferences Featuring Sustainability, Green IT and Renewable Energy Discussions

Related: Check out Sustainable Tech Partner's Global Conference Calendar here for hundreds of additional events scheduled for 2023, 2024 and beyond...

Note: Blog originally published November 6, 2023. Updated regularly thereafter.