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Everywhere you turn, people are talking about AI—and for good reason. Even the simplest applications of AI can create a massive difference in productivity and efficiency. Sustainability professionals are no exception. To make a great impression at work, double (or even 10x) your productivity, and over-deliver on expectations, integrating AI into your toolkit is a no-brainer.

Ironically, most sustainability or environmental content created via AI focuses on AI’s environmental footprint—how much energy and water a single prompt consumes. Yes, AI does have an environmental impact. But let’s face it: AI isn’t going anywhere. Instead of dwelling solely on its footprint, what if we focused on how AI can amplify your impact as a sustainability manager? In fact, by using AI wisely, you can streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies, and potentially save more energy and resources elsewhere—whether that’s fewer Google searches, less back-and-forth in emails, or optimized workflows.

This article isn’t about the environmental footprint of AI. It’s about your footprint and how you can leverage AI to double—or even 10x—your impact on sustainability efforts. Let’s dive in.

1. Understand and Explain Regulations

If there’s one area where AI truly shines, it’s in navigating complex regulations. Sustainability managers are constantly juggling the demands of keeping up with an ever-changing legal landscape—especially in the EU, where it feels like a new directive lands every week.

Using tools like GPT or CoPilot can save you hours of work. And no, AI won’t replace your professional judgment. Instead, it’s about using AI to skim through lengthy documents, identify key points, and prioritize what truly needs your attention. For instance, AI can summarize dense regulatory reports and flag sections critical to your organization’s compliance strategy.

The real game-changer here? Learning how to prompt effectively. Prompting is fast becoming the skill of the future. Mastering how to frame your queries and guide AI to deliver tailored, actionable results will make you an indispensable asset in your role.

💡 Pro Tip: Pair AI insights with your expertise. Ask AI for a quick summary, key points, and references to specific sections you should prioritize. Then, dive deeper into critical areas with your own judgment. Be thorough with your prompts—how you ask AI to do something determines the quality of its response.

(Fun fact: Studies show that AI tools in legal and regulatory fields can reduce document review time by up to 70%. Imagine the edge you’ll have in your work!)

2. Analyze Data and Present Dashboards Effortlessly

Data is a huge part of sustainability work—whether you’re tracking emissions, reporting progress, or creating dashboards for stakeholders. AI can help simplify the technical headache of tools like Excel, Power BI, or Python. Instead of spending hours recalling formulas or debugging scripts, create an AI “assistant” tailored to your specific use case.

For instance, AI can help clean messy datasets, automate repetitive calculations, or even generate visuals that present your findings beautifully. The result? More time spent interpreting insights and less time wrestling with the tools.

💡 Pro Tip: Combine your AI tool with your go-to software. Whether it’s integrating AI-generated Python code into Power BI or asking AI to format Excel formulas, you’ll quickly see how much mental bandwidth you free up.

3. Run Strategic Analyses (SWOT, Gap Assessments, etc.)

Before you dive into a team brainstorming session or strategy meeting, why not let AI do some of the initial heavy lifting? Tools like GPT can help you perform strategic analyses like SWOT or gap assessments. AI can act as a sounding board, generating ideas you might not have considered or flagging areas worth deeper exploration.

I always use AI for a "pre-brainstorm" before working with my team. It ensures I walk into the room with a well-rounded list of ideas to kickstart the discussion. Of course, not every suggestion AI makes will stick, but filtering through its suggestions often leads to surprising and valuable insights.

💡 Pro Tip: Use AI for a first draft. Let it generate possible threats, opportunities, or gaps, and then refine the results with your team’s expertise.

4. Create Tailored Communication Plans

One of the biggest challenges for sustainability managers is communicating complex topics to diverse audiences—be it employees, investors, or customers. AI can simplify this by helping you draft audience-specific communication plans.

For example, you can ask AI to reframe the same sustainability initiative for different stakeholders. Need a version that resonates with the finance team? AI can make it data-driven and cost-focused. How about one for employees? AI can turn it into an inspiring, mission-oriented message.

💡 Pro Tip: Use AI to generate drafts, but add your personal touch to ensure alignment with your organization’s tone and values.

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5. Streamline Learning and Research

Staying updated on sustainability trends, technologies, and best practices is non-negotiable. But let’s face it—there’s only so much time in the day. AI can serve as your personal research assistant, summarizing articles, flagging industry updates, or even suggesting training resources tailored to your goals.

For instance, you can ask AI to summarize the latest IPCC report or provide a quick overview of new circular economy strategies. This ensures you stay informed without feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information.

💡 Pro Tip: Make it a habit to spend 15 minutes a week using AI for professional development. Over time, these micro-learning sessions will compound into a significant knowledge boost.

Check out my ESG MasterClass for Non-Experts to gain a macro-level understanding of sustainability. This course will help you connect the dots between ESG and business success, empowering you to lead with confidence in your role.

👉 Join the waitlist today to be the first to know when the course launches—and enjoy an exclusive 20% discount as a subscriber!

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