In an ever-evolving landscape, innovation and sustainability have become the crux for many organizations. Veerle Van Puyenbroeck, COO of SAP BeLux, has a wealth of experience in navigating the intricate landscape of business operations and brings valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities companies are facing nowadays. We met her to discuss about SAP’s strategic vision, the role of AI in their business operations and how to address the growing emphasis towards sustainability practices.

When engaging with CEOs, what primary challenges or priorities do you often find they are grappling with?

‘’In my interactions with CEOs, I consistently observe several key challenges and priorities that they grapple with. Firstly, there's a keen focus on navigating the complexities of the macroeconomic landscape, such as inflation and supply chain disruptions, which necessitate cost containment measures and increased adaptability. Secondly, CEOs are deeply concerned about talent acquisition and retention, amid competitive markets. Additionally, there's a growing emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting compliance and differentiation strategies. Lastly, they are exploring the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on their operations, balancing opportunities with associated risks.’’

From your interactions with business leaders, what specific expectations do they commonly have when considering SAP as a strategic partner?

‘’Business leaders often have specific expectations when considering SAP as a strategic partner. They seek future-proof and modular solutions quickly achieving results and additionally clear business outcomes. For example, many organizations aim to integrate smart technologies into their operations to enhance productivity and streamline processes. Our investments in AI, particularly in natural language interaction, align with these expectations and are anticipated to significantly impact the overall performance and efficiency of the collaborators.’’

In the context of digital transformation, how does SAP envision aiding companies in achieving greater speed and agility?

‘’Cloud technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing operational efficiency and agility for both SAP and its customers. Cloud solutions enable organizations to standardize processes, accelerate upgrades, and foster collaboration. These solutions aid rapid upgrades and facilitate the adoption of innovative technologies embedded within SAP offerings. Furthermore, cloud technology fosters collaboration through Network Solutions - a prominent player in the domain registration and web services industry since the early days of the Internet -, enabling data exchange among customers to expedite decision-making processes.’’

Could you elaborate on the role of AI in SAP's strategy and how it contributes to advancing business operations and innovation?

‘’AI integration has been a longstanding focus for SAP, with a commitment to embedding AI seamlessly into business processes. SAP's suite of AI-powered solutions encompasses various functionalities like for example, automatic invoice consolidation and streamlining document flows in the supply chain. These applications yield immediate returns and facilitate continuous improvement through AI-driven insights. Notably, SAP emphasizes three key aspects of AI: relevance to business processes, reliability, and responsibility, ensuring adherence to high standards of data integrity, privacy, security, ethics, and compliance.

SAP offers three categories of AI solutions. Firstly, built-in AI enhances existing processes, such as automated invoice matching, resulting in higher efficiency and prevent man-made mistakes. Secondly, we provide a framework for customers to develop their own AI applications, which can seamlessly integrate with our processes. Lastly, SAP collaborates with partners to leverage AI in developing applications that complement SAPs’ product portfolio, further extending the benefits of AI-driven innovation.’’

Shifting towards a pivotal concern in the contemporary landscape, how is SAP addressing the growing emphasis on sustainability, and in what ways is the company contributing to environmentally responsible business practices?

‘’Sustainability remains a central aspect of our strategic approach, with a consistent focus year after year. Conversations around sustainability typically start with discussions on ESG reporting, driven by two primary factors. On one hand, ESG reporting influences external investments, as investors increasingly consider ESG aspects when allocating funds. One the other hand, there is a rising tide of ESG-based regulations and taxes, further incentivizing companies to invest in sustainability initiatives.

Despite the compelling rationale for investing in sustainability, the challenging macroeconomic environment often leads companies to prioritize quick reporting solutions over significant changes to their processes. To address this, we advise companies to leverage ESG reporting as a starting point for reflecting on their sustainability strategies, which encompass various dimensions beyond environmental impact. These strategies involve setting goals and evaluating the essential procedures to achieve those goals.

For instance, sustainability efforts can be embedded within logistic processes to mitigate environmental impacts, such as reducing single-use plastics and carbon emissions, while also ensuring compliance with human rights standards and fostering diversity within the supply chain. SAP's networked solutions facilitate collaboration among companies, enabling them to exchange information and achieve end-to-end visibility across the supply chain, therefore addressing challenges associated with indirect sustainability elements.

By integrating sustainability considerations into core business operations and fostering collaboration across ecosystems, SAP strives to empower companies to not only meet ESG reporting requirements but also drive meaningful progress toward a more sustainable future.’’