Centre profile

Founded in 2017, Singapore Polytechnic's Business Innovation Centre helps companies identify gaps in their operations and design solutions in areas such as marketing, new product development, productivity enhancement, and regulatory compliance.

Problem statement

ESG reporting is becoming more prominent in the corporate world. For instance, companies listed on the Singapore Exchange will be required to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions starting in 2025. There is also growing demand for progressive labour practices, such as the government mandate for flexible work requests, and initiatives to improve board diversity. Consumers, too, are demanding greater transparency on how businesses are becoming more environmentally conscious.

For many organisations, compiling ESG figures can be challenging, as these are new metrics that require monitoring often without established data collection in place. They may also struggle to locate the necessary data or present it clearly and effectively. Nearly four out of five senior decision-makers in Singapore say ESG data collection is challenging, a 2023 UiPath and Eco-Business survey found. The report also found that over half of the professionals interviewed are considering investing in automation to help with ESG data management.

Impact Achieved

Seeing the rising demand for transparency and accountability in sustainability practices, BIC developed a user-friendly dashboard in 2024 to help companies consolidate, track, and visualise their sustainability performance.

The dashboard uses artificial intelligence to extract routine data points—such as emissions metrics, renewable energy usage, waste generated, and diversity statistics—from publicly available sustainability reports, regulatory databases, and corporate websites. Companies can also manually input data not captured by the system or include unique indicators they wish to audit.

By streamlining the process and using automation to extract the data, typos and errors are eliminated, explained Senthilkumar, BIC’s Partnership & Projects Lead.

“With its simplicity and ease of use, the dashboard is an ideal solution for SMEs, offering affordability, easy customisation, and a straightforward deployment and monitoring process. By combining cost-effectiveness with advanced automation, it’s a game-changer for businesses aiming to meet their sustainability goals seamlessly,” he said.

_{An example of how the dashboard’s environmental reporting page looks like.}

The dashboard presents data using charts and bar graphs so that companies can easily track their progress at a glance.

Starting with the Logistics and Transport Sectors

BIC first began by focusing on the logistics and transport sectors, recognising their vital role in global trade and operations. Drawing on its expertise, industry partners including bus operator Tower Transit and deliveries and warehousing provider Bok Seng Logistics reached out to BIC, and began developing dashboards for them in the second quarter of 2024.

Tower Transit integrated smart devices with sensors into their vehicles to monitor performance metrics such as engine control systems, fuel type, driver behaviour, sudden braking events, distance travelled, and mileage. Real-time data is then sent to the cloud, automatically feeding the dashboard to generate sustainability reports on demand.

While Tower Transit is not currently a publicly listed company, their proactive approach aims to position them ahead of regulatory requirements, ensuring they are fully prepared when sustainability reporting becomes mandatory for private companies as well, Senthilkumar said.

Meanwhile, Bok Seng Logistics utilised smart devices and sensors to monitor truck fuel usage, prioritising operational efficiency while supporting Singapore’s net-zero initiatives. As a leading logistics provider, they aim to set a benchmark for the industry by proactively adopting sustainability strategies. In May 2024, Bok Seng’s team participated in a workshop with BIC to gain insights into effective monitoring and reporting measures.

“Their expertise and guidance during the one-day workshop were instrumental in onboarding our key stakeholders and provided us with a crucial kickstart on our sustainability journey,” Bok Seng’s compliance manager Tong Yen Sng said.

Looking ahead, the centre hopes to work with firms in the built environment, maritime, manufacturing, and food industries next, said BIC’s sustainability lead Roland Soh, as the team sees “immense opportunities on sustainability and decarbonisation efforts there”.