IT to strengthen the public sector
One of the most obvious sectors in which to look for use cases of this kind is undoubtedly the public sector. IT projects aimed at enhancing data sovereignty or the IT security of public institutions help to ensure that the German state is better equipped to defend itself against cyber-attacks. Resilience is a key component of the definition of sustainability. Materna, for example, supports the German Commission for UNESCO in drawing up information security-related policies and guidelines and in implementing IT security measures in preparation for an information security management system. During the negotiated procedure, the project team made use of the pricing flexibility, as Materna supports the Commission’s mission to strengthen international cooperation in the field of peacekeeping.
IT services in the public sector also frequently focus on the digitalisation and improvement of bureaucratic processes. Materna’s ‘Digital Inbox’ solution, which automatically performs semantic analysis and pre-processing of incoming email correspondence, is one such example. This helps to increase the speed and efficiency of procedures and reduce the administrative burden. Similarly, IT projects often modernise citizen-facing services. This can help to prevent dissatisfaction amongst citizens with public administration. For example, the Materna ‘eAKZ’ (electronic export receipt) uses an app to issue export and recipient confirmations for non-commercial goods traffic involving non-EU citizens, as the basis for the subsequent refund of value-added tax. The aim is to simplify the existing procedure, thereby saving users time and effort, and to streamline cross-border traffic. Both types of service indirectly strengthen democratic processes and public support for the state.
IT as an enabler
Information technologies are also used in civil protection to support a rapid and effective response from both the public and the emergency services. One example of this is the ‘FreiburgRESIST’ project, in which Materna is working with the City of Freiburg on a resilience management system for detailed, proactive safety planning at major events. In the healthcare sector, too, IT solutions are being tested and implemented to improve the provision of care, for example through smart logistics, digital patient records or telemedicine. Materna demonstrates further use cases in the healthcare sector with the ‘DAIsy’ project – an AI-based tool to support the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions – and ‘GAiST’, which provides AI-based support in the context of assisted living and the digitisation of medical guidelines.
Both areas serve as prime examples of how IT service projects can make a positive contribution to the lives of a large number of people.
Furthermore, social value can be generated through work carried out by an IT service provider on a ‘pro bono’ basis – that is, free of charge for the other organisation. Trainees can develop their skills and be creative whilst working on such a project, whilst the recipient of the service receives the outcome free of charge. One example is Materna TMT’s long-standing project with the Dortmund Food Bank, in which trainees provide and further develop management software for the charitable organisation.
IT for environmental protection
IT service providers can also have a positive impact on another key area of sustainability through client projects: the environment. Digitalisation projects often go hand in hand with efficiency gains in processes. Digitalisation and modernisation can thus create more environmentally friendly alternatives to existing practices, which consume fewer resources, emit less CO₂, or reduce other negative environmental impacts. Materna, for example, is working with Hobart on visualising and documenting the consumption of commercial dishwashers, with the aim of saving not only costs but also water, energy and washing-up liquid.
In an environmental context, there is also the opportunity to use data analysis of nature and climate to make better predictions or identify patterns. This can be very helpful for planning and preparing for extreme weather events, as well as for species conservation. The Materna project ‘Forest Planning 4.0’, for example, uses stereo aerial photographs and satellite imagery to create a digital map of the forest areas managed by the Bavarian State Forests. The products derived from this provide an up-to-date and comprehensive data foundation for mapping and planning forest areas. This forms the basis for subsequent measures aimed at sustainable and climate-resilient forest management. Another example is the WilKEA app, developed by Materna in collaboration with LAVES (Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety), which enables foresters, hunters and veterinary administration staff in Lower Saxony to digitally record sampling data from wild boar for testing for African swine fever and, consequently, for the purposes of animal disease surveillance. This digital recording is also possible for Trichinella sampling data from wild boar. Hunters can use WilKEA to generate a game origin certificate for a Trichinella sample they have taken. The recording system could also be extended to cover other wildlife diseases in the future.
Furthermore, IT solutions in the environmental sector can also be used to support behavioural changes, for example to reduce energy consumption and thus cut CO₂ emissions and conserve resources: Digitalisation makes it much easier to implement real-time displays, comparisons with other people, competitions amongst users and alerts when the monthly instalment amount is reached. Another option is to contextualise consumption figures by displaying them in everyday equivalents rather than abstract units of measurement. The SmartLivingNEXT research funding programme, in which Materna is involved, supports such technical developments, amongst other things.
A key component of environmental protection is, of course, the design of the IT infrastructure itself. IT service providers today have many ways of reducing their own carbon footprint and, consequently, that of their services: cloud computing, server virtualisation, energy-efficient hardware and green coding are examples of such approaches. These also bring benefits that go beyond environmental protection, such as cost savings, operational efficiency and the promotion of innovation.
IT services and sustainability go hand in hand
In summary, it can be said that IT service providers can make a social and environmental contribution, either directly or indirectly, through their projects. By developing innovative solutions, they help shape a sustainable future.
