Powerlink Queensland improves ESG reporting capabilities with SAP Sustainability Control Tower

⇨ The Australian Government is pushing for mandatory climate-related financial reporting to be publicly available

⇨ SAP Sustainability Control Tower was brought in to accurately track data and sustainability ambitions

⇨ Part of a wider SAP S/4HANA implementation, alongside SAP Datasphere and with SAP SuccessFactors coming up

Powerlink Queensland, the Queensland Government-owned transmission network service provider, has expanded its SAP S/4HANA investment, adding ESG reporting tool SAP Sustainability Control Tower (SCT).

SCT was implemented with the aim of tracking data and sustainability ambitions accurately across Powerlink Queensland’s supply chain aligned to Queensland climate targets and Australian legislative reporting requirements.

Powerlink Queensland, which manages some 15,345-circuit km of transmission lines and 147 substations across the whole state, is tasked by the Queensland Government to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy as part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

This also comes with the Australian Government’s commitment to ensure greater visibility in climate-related risk and opportunity for large businesses, with a proposal to make mandatory climate-related financial reporting publicly available.

“Powerlink is focused on connecting Queenslanders to a world-class energy future and as our company transforms to do this, the technology we use day-to-day needs to change too, including the tools we use to understand our business and obligations,” Powerlink general manager of business IT and digital delivery Mark Pozdena said.

“With strategic partnerships like our one with SAP, our internal teams’ expertise has grown our data maturity and capabilities significantly, which is critical to help plan our work and future, supporting the delivery of Queensland’s clean energy future.”

SCT is part of a wider digital transformation project with SAP, having implemented SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Analytics Cloud. Other additions to the system are SAP Datasphere (implemented alongside SCT), while SAP SuccessFactors is planned for the end of this year.

Powerlink Queensland also plans to continue building out capabilities within SCT, aimed to strengthen traceability and accountability within its supply chain.

“By implementing SAP Sustainability Control Tower, we can improve the accuracy and traceability of this vital reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and are better positioned to meet our reporting commitments to the government,” Powerlink executive general manager for people and corporate services Leigh Pickering said.

Commenting on the implementation, SAP ANZ president and managing director Angela Colantuono said, “SAP believes technology has a critical role to play in helping organisations become intelligent and sustainable enterprises, but only by recording, reporting, and acting on actual sustainability data can organisations deliver tangible outcomes.

“By modernising its systems with SAP, Powerlink Queensland is empowering its workers with the tools and data to work more efficiently and make more informed decisions. It’s also providing the foundations for the organisation to build the digital infrastructure required for a clean energy future.”