Microsoft: Mondra AI Chatbot to Reduce Scope 3 Emissions

Share
Mondra's AI chatbot can support food retailers to reduce emissions
Mondra has created an AI chatbot that can support food retailers to track emissions at every stage of the supply chain using Microsoft Azure OpenAI servers

Scope 3 emissions are tricky to track, with only 10% of companies comprehensively measuring and reporting emissions across all scopes according to Boston Consulting Group. 

Mondra aims to change this using Microsoft Azure OpenAI’s secure servers.

The company’s new chatbot, named Sherpa, aims to support retailers in calculating how much CO2 is produced in the making of their products down to the ingredient level.

Jason Barrett, CEO at Mondra, says: “Mondra’s approach to collaborative decarbonisation is ground-breaking.

Jason Barrett, CEO at Mondra

“We are essentially giving retailers the platform and tools to support planet-positive category evolution, while de-risking their business and taking advantage of the commercial opportunity presented by the net zero economy.”

How Mondra can help emissions reductions

Mondra’s platform automates Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) at scale, supporting retailers to understand the environmental impact of products.

Providing this transparency gives companies an opportunity to identify problem areas in their supply chain emissions and take action. 

One Mondra customer reformulated a lasagne with its data, reducing the carbon emitted in its production by 18%. 

Sherpa can also support retailers to build resilience in their supply chains, showing emissions if ingredients are sourced from other parts of the world in the event of disruption from climate change, natural disasters or political conflicts. 

Alison Wright, Small Business Lead at Microsoft UK, says: “Mondra’s groundbreaking chatbot Sherpa – built using Microsoft AI technology – will be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.

Alison Wright, Small Business Lead at Microsoft UK

“Being able to map food supply chain carbon emissions, then make data-driven decisions on how to reduce them, will radically improve the retail food industry’s ability to meet its net zero targets.”

Where Mondra is making a difference in supply chains

Mondra is working with NGOs, the UK Government and the British Retail Consortium to build a unified standard to measure product level performance and farm data alongside ensuring accurate, comparable data is collected efficiently. 

Marco De Sanctis, Chief Technical Officer at Mondra, explains: “The overlay of Sherpa onto the Mondra platform is game-changing for the industry.

“Its querying ability will empower businesses to make data-driven decisions, reducing their environmental impact and improving operational efficiency.”

Microsoft Azure’s sustainability efforts

Microsoft Azure has committed to focus on four key areas of environmental impact alongside using its AI capabilities to improve efficiency in sustainability.

Microsoft Azure’s four areas of focus:
  • 100% renewable energy by 2025
  • Water positive by 2030
  • Zero-waste certified by 2030
  • Net zero deforestation from new construction

Azure is also actively engaged in more than 40 projects around the world to make a local impact on environmental outcomes.

In Dublin, Ireland it has started a community engagement project to improve energy efficiency and energy savings at a local college. 

It is also partnering with renewable energy projects, such as preparing skilled workers to take advantage of solar jobs at colleges in Virginia, USA. 

Youtube Placeholder

Graduates of this training programme will be qualified for well-paying jobs, having economic development impacts in the communities where they live and work.

In South Africa, Azure is using smart water metres to support regional hospitals to mitigate a water crisis. 

Microsoft Sustainability awarded US$100,000 to the Western Cape Provincial Department of Health to install smart metres at 53 public hospitals in Cape Town. 


Receive the next edition of ClimateTech Digital by signing up for its newsletter


As part of this portfolio, make sure you check out Sustainability Magazine and Energy Digital and also sign up to our global conference series - Sustainability LIVE


ClimateTech Digital is a BizClik brand

Share

Featured Articles

How Google, IBM & Met Office Use AI to Predict the Weather

AI is enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of weather forecasting and has the potential to mitigate the destructive impacts of natural disasters

What Does Vauxhall's Luton Closure Mean for UK EV Market?

The transition to EVs reveals conflicts between bold regulations and market challenges, prompting the industry to call for more flexible policies

How Henkel Turns Industrial CO₂ into Sustainable Adhesives

By creating sustainable water-based adhesives from captured CO₂ emissions, Henkel and Celanese are enhancing circularity in the packaging industry

How United Airlines is Revamping the Skies with SAF

Sustainability

Azerbaijan Invests in Carbonbit Technologies for DAC

Carbon Capture

Volvo Integrates 3D Tech for Electric Vehicle Innovation

Tech & AI