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Google is setting a new standard in sustainability reporting by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its 2024 report.
The move, led by Luke Elder’s team, will fundamentally change how the company tracks and communicates its environmental impact, providing faster, more reliable results while ensuring transparency and accuracy in reporting.
A Game-Changer for Sustainability Reporting
Luke Elder, who oversees Google’s sustainability reporting, describes the recent introduction of AI tools as a “game changer.” Historically, compiling a sustainability report required gathering large volumes of qualitative data from various teams and synthesising it into an easily understandable narrative—a task often requiring technical expertise across different fields.
“Report creation is incredibly ripe for disruption,” Elder says. “Much of the information in a report is qualitative. It needs to be sourced from different parts of the organisation, then translated into a single easy-to-access voice.”
AI’s Role in Report Structuring and Data Synthesis
Google’s sustainability reporting team, working under Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt, has integrated AI tools to streamline the report’s structure. The small, four-member team collaborates with over 200 people and hundreds more contributing supporting data.
AI helps bring together this diverse set of voices and information into a unified report. Gemini, Google’s generative AI chatbot, plays a crucial role in summarising complex technical documents in a style consistent with Google’s sustainability narrative. “We will throw that into Gemini and ask it to summarise it for an annual voluntary environmental disclosure with the tone of Google’s environmental reporting,” Elder explains.
Through continuous refinement, the team produces clear, concise summaries of dense technical reports, such as those detailing AI hardware emissions, making them more accessible to all readers.
Building Custom AI Tools for Precision and Consistency
Google has developed custom AI systems to handle specific tasks within its sustainability report creation process. “We created ‘Gems’ in Gemini,” says Elder, “customised versions of the tool designed to handle specific tasks, such as the ‘environmental report writer’ Gem.”
These AI tools are designed to ensure that the report maintains consistency in tone, clarity, and adheres to Google’s internal style guides. Another key tool, the “claims verifier” Gem, flags vague or unverifiable statements. “
A human verifier can then examine the claim in more detail to see if it needs to be modified,” Elder notes. This system helps ensure that every claim in the report meets the company’s high standards for accuracy and transparency.
Making Sustainability Reports More Accessible
Google’s 2024 sustainability report offers both a traditional PDF version and an interactive AI-powered chatbot option, enhancing accessibility and user experience. Using NotebookLM, a Gemini-based tool, users can query the report to receive AI-generated responses for specific sustainability data.
“We’ve found that the majority of the responses generated by the AI are incredibly high quality,” Elder says. This interactive feature enables deeper exploration of the data, including areas where Google may fall short of its sustainability goals.
The report also includes a “peer benchmarking notebook,” allowing for real-time comparison of metrics like Scope 2 emissions. “We can query that notebook for peer benchmarking and say, what are these four companies’ Scope 2 emissions in the prior year?” Elder adds.
Tips for Companies Adopting AI in Sustainability Reporting
Luke Elder shares key advice for organisations looking to optimise AI in their reporting processes. “A lot of people will try a prompt and not get the best outcome, and then say, ‘Well, this isn’t going to work.’ In reality, you absolutely need to continue to iterate,” he advises.
He also recommends utilising learning resources like Google AI Essentials and courses from IBM and LinkedIn. “It’s easy to just get started with AI, but taking time to learn from experts will accelerate your overall progress,” Elder says.
However, he stresses the importance of keeping a human in the loop. “Generative AI is constantly improving, but chatbots continue to make mistakes,” he cautions.
The Future of Sustainability Reporting
Google’s 2024 sustainability report is a showcase of how AI can transform the way companies approach environmental reporting, making it more efficient, accurate, and accessible.
“AI is a game changer,” says Elder, emphasising how the technology not only improves the quality of the report but also helps Google maintain its position as a leader in sustainability.