Bringing Komunidad’s Climate Solutions to Europe through Partnership with OCTD
Overview
The Oxford Centre for Technology and Development (OCTD) specializes in climate research, consultancy, and technology aimed at addressing data scarcity in emerging markets. OCTD’s expertise in climate technology and impact assessment helps businesses, investors, and startups align with global sustainability goals and achieve net-zero pathways. By collaborating with clients such as Google, Meta, and UNICEF, OCTD plays a key role in developing impactful climate solutions.
In July 2024, Komunidad partnered with OCTD to expand its climate technology solutions into Europe and beyond. This partnership focuses on empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by enhancing their climate resilience and helping them comply with regional ESG regulations. By leveraging Komunidad’s Climate Action Suite, the partnership aims to provide SMEs across Europe, Turkey, and six African countries with the tools needed to meet sustainability goals and prepare for climate risks. The joint initiative will start with a pilot project in Turkey’s OSTIM Industrial Zone, targeting 3,000 SMEs, with plans to scale across Europe.
Additionally, the collaboration extends to the Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme, which seeks to develop innovative AI-driven solutions for disaster preparedness, further enhancing the climate resilience of SMEs and humanitarian organizations.
The Challenge
Expanding Komunidad’s climate technology solutions into Europe and Turkey through its partnership with OCTD presented several challenges:
- Supporting SMEs across Europe and Turkey: SMEs face growing pressure to meet evolving climate regulations, including new ESG compliance standards, while navigating data scarcity.
- Turkey’s Industrial Zones: A key challenge is empowering SMEs within Turkey’s 382 industrial zones to meet these new requirements. In particular, the OSTIM Industrial Zone in Ankara, with over 3,000 companies, required a localized solution for ESG reporting and climate resilience.
- AI-Driven Early Warning Systems: The integration of AI-driven early warning mechanisms for disaster preparedness, especially in regions prone to climate-related disasters, was also a significant hurdle.
The partnership between Komunidad and OCTD aims to bring Komunidad’s climate solutions to Europe, starting in Turkey, by providing SMEs with tools for ESG reporting, climate impact assessment, and disaster resilience. The project will initially focus on Turkey, leveraging the Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme to scale AI-driven early warning systems across Europe and other regions.
Solutions
To address these challenges, Komunidad and OCTD implemented the following solutions:
- Integration of ESG Reporting Tools for SMEs:
Komunidad integrated OCTD’s impact survey into its Climate Action Suite, allowing SMEs to streamline their ESG reporting and comply with new sustainability regulations. This solution is tailored for industrial zones in Turkey and scalable for SMEs across Europe. - Localization for the Turkish Market:
The platform was customized to comply with Turkish Sustainability Reporting Standards (TSRS), providing localized data hosting and a user-friendly interface in Turkish. A pilot project in the OSTIM Industrial Zonewill empower SMEs to meet compliance requirements efficiently. - Collaboration on AI-Driven Disaster Resilience:
Through the Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme, Komunidad and OCTD are developing AI-driven early warning mechanisms to enhance disaster preparedness. The pilot project in Turkey will serve as a testing ground, with plans to scale the solution to European markets and beyond.
Engaging Key Stakeholders:
Komunidad and OCTD engaged Turkish ESG consultancies, the Turkish Investment and Development Bank, and local SMEs to ensure the effective deployment of the Climate Action Suite across Turkey. This collaboration is key to expanding the platform throughout Europe.
Key Results
The partnership between Komunidad and OCTD has already achieved several notable results:
- Successful Pilot Project in Turkey:
A pilot project in the OSTIM Industrial Zone is underway, with significant potential to onboard 3,000 SMEs. This project showcases the scalability of Komunidad’s solutions for European SMEs. - Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme:
The successful submission of the Eureka Disaster Resilience Grant application positions Komunidad and OCTD to secure funding for AI-driven disaster resilience solutions, with plans to pilot in Turkey and expand to Europe and other regions.
Expansion of ESG Compliance Solutions:The integration of OCTD’s impact survey into Komunidad’s Climate Action Suite has streamlined ESG reporting for SMEs in Turkey, setting the stage for broader adoption across Europe’s industrial zones.
Through its strategic partnership with OCTD, Komunidad is bringing cutting-edge climate solutions to Europe, starting with SMEs in Turkey’s industrial zones. By providing scalable ESG reporting tools and AI-driven early warning systems, Komunidad is empowering businesses to enhance their climate resilience while meeting regional sustainability regulations. The collaboration with OCTD, along with the potential funding from the Eureka Disaster Resilience Programme, will help expand these solutions across Europe and other global markets.
