Kyndryl Touts Carbon Footprint Software, Energy Efficiency Capabilities for IT Customers

Kyndryl, a global technology infrastructure service provider, is adding AI-powered sustainability software to its portfolio of of managed technology services. The net result: Customers should be able to improve energy efficiencies across their IT systems, Kyndryl asserts.

The effort involves Kyndryl Bridge, a technology services platform that "integrates artificial intelligence (AI), operational data and Kyndryl expertise to provide customers with a new way to operate their systems and deliver improved business outcomes," the company said.

Carbon Footprint Calculator Software, Energy Efficiency for IT Systems

Dig a little deeper and you'll noticed sustainability and net-zero software tools built into the services. For instance, an AI-powered sustainability intelligence and carbon footprint calculator will "measure real-time energy consumption and emission data to help customers analyze, simulate, forecast and generate actionable recommendations to improve energy efficiency across an entire IT estate," the company said.

More than 500 customers now leverage Kyndryl Bridge, and that figure is expected to exceed 1,000 customers by the end of the company's fiscal year.

In a prepared statement about the services, CEO Martin Schroeter said: “Kyndryl Bridge reinvents the way CXOs manage their increasingly complex technology estates. This differentiated, AI-powered, open-integration services platform accelerates automation, drives efficiencies, and creates a more sustainable operation – helping companies advance their growth objectives and deliver stakeholder value.”

Kyndryl's Internal Sustainability Goals and Net-Zero Deadline

Admittedly, many MSPs and IT consulting firms are laggards in the sustainability and green IT markets -- especially in the United States. In stark contrast, anecdotal evidence suggests Kyndryl's sustainability efforts are outpacing the overall IT channel.

Among the proof points: According to Global Chief Sustainability Officer Faith Taylor (pictured, top of page):

• Kyndryl plans to reduce its carbon emissions for scope 1 and 2 emissions by 75% by 2030 compared to an estimated fiscal year 2023 baseline.
• The company expects to achieve a net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goal by 2040.
• The journey includes Kyndryl's sustainability team working closely with CTO Rajeev Puri and the technology team, Taylor indicated in a July 2023 Linkedin update.

For Taylor, this is more than an in-house business journey. Eager to share her sustainability expertise with customers and partners, Taylor penned this step-by-step guide for achieving net-zero emissions goals. 

Kyndryl Business Performance: Challenges Remain

Kyndryl spun off from IBM in November 2021. As an independent company, Kyndryl has been striving to expand its cloud and recurring revenue services in growth-oriented markets.

Fast forward to 2023, and the business transformation remains a work in progress. For example:

• Quarterly revenue was $4.3 billion in Q4 of the fiscal year ended March 2023, down 4% from the corresponding quarter last year.
• Annual revenue was $17 billion, down 7% from the previous year.
• Annual adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was $2.0 billion in fiscal year 2023, down from $2.2 billion the previous year.

Still, CEO Martin Schroeter expressed optimism about the business in the March 2023 earnings release, stating: “We delivered strong financial results in the fourth quarter, and we solidified our leadership position in infrastructure services throughout fiscal year 2023,. We are successfully leveraging our alliances with leading technology providers, driving quality and efficiency through advanced delivery of our services, and positioning our business for margin expansion."

Next up, Kyndryl is expected to announce Q1 results for its fiscal 2024 on August 8 of 2023.