We caught up with Daniel Usifoh, an experienced sustainable procurement and technology professional passionate about helping organisations achieve their sustainability objectives. As the co-founder of Axiom Sustainability Software, Daniel’s mission is to help organisations and their supply chains become more sustainable.
What motivated you to co-found Axiom Sustainability Software, and how does your platform help organisations achieve their sustainability and ESG goals?
Axiom dates back to when Joe Oughtred and I worked together in procurement. We’re both passionate about sustainability and wanted to make a real difference in the world. We saw that one of the key barriers preventing positive change was a lack of accurate data and transparency, especially in the supply chain.
So, we founded AXIOM to help UK businesses embrace sustainability – from reducing carbon emissions and achieving Net Zero to improving the social impact of their operations and supply chains worldwide.
Axiom is a powerful, cloud-based sustainability and environmental accounting platform that helps businesses monitor, analyse and improve sustainability performance. It provides a complete suite of tools to help organisations in every industry gain full visibility and control over sustainability performance.
Scope 3 emissions can be challenging to manage due to their complexity. How does your software simplify this process for organisations, and what impact can effective Scope 3 management have on achieving Net Zero goals?
To truly decarbonise, organisations should incorporate reducing Scope 3 emissions as part of their decarbonisation strategy. Several issues exist with assessing Scope 3 emissions, including relying on supply chain partners, data gaps, and poor-quality data.
We recognise the link between good-quality data and active engagement with third-party suppliers. To address that, our software offers a centralised platform that streamlines and organises communication between you and your suppliers. Our automatic calculation tools use the latest emissions factors to provide an overview, giving businesses a baseline against which to benchmark and improve. Once they have a good estimate, they can build on the data by engaging with suppliers.
Axiom helps with every step of the process, from initial calculations and prioritisation of efforts to supplier engagement and ongoing progress tracking. Our centralised hub lets businesses calculate, analyse, track, and report on Scope 3 emissions throughout their sustainability journey. Our data also provides valuable insights into the areas in which they can make the most impact.
ESG reporting is becoming increasingly critical for organisations. What role does Axiom Sustainability Software play in helping companies improve their ESG performance and reporting accuracy?
Axiom’s supply chain software makes ESG as easy as ABC. We provide detailed ESG metrics, including carbon emissions and labour practices, customisable reports, real-time monitoring and ongoing supplier assessment. We help ensure our clients comply with industry standards and give them the data they need to make the best business and sustainability decisions for their organisation.
How do you see the role of technology evolving in the sustainability sector, particularly in helping companies meet ambitious targets like Net Zero?
AI and machine learning technologies can significantly enhance organisational and supply chain sustainability. These technologies can predict equipment failures, optimise energy consumption, and identify patterns and trends in large datasets. AI-powered sustainability platforms automate the tracking of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, providing real-time actionable insights that help companies optimise resource use and reduce waste.
Automation further contributes to sustainability by streamlining operations, reducing human error and increasing efficiency. Automated systems can manage inventory control, order fulfilment and transportation logistics, leading to lower energy consumption and reduced emissions. These improvements enhance sustainability and contribute to cost savings and operational efficiency.
As sustainability becomes a higher priority for businesses, what emerging trends do you foresee in ESG and sustainable procurement, and how is Axiom positioning itself to lead in these areas?
One of the biggest trends businesses need to be aware of is the evolving sustainability legislation across the UK and Europe.
Sustainability is moving beyond carbon, with the EU, UK, and US all looking to introduce new legislation covering deforestation and land conversion, among other things.
Alongside this, sustainability criteria are an increasingly important factor in government tendering. For example, government contracts over £5m now require a carbon reduction plan as part of the tender, and smaller government contracts are likely to adopt similar criteria. We’re starting to see major corporates do the same as they look to tackle their own Scope 3 emissions.
Companies must navigate a constantly changing regulatory landscape, which requires up-to-date and comprehensive data. If you don’t have a credible plan and accurate data to back up your claims, doing business will become increasingly difficult.
What advice would you offer organisations just beginning their sustainability journey regarding prioritising their efforts and utilising technology effectively?
Businesses want to do the right things but often don’t know where to start. There’s too much jargon around sustainability; businesses need simplicity, not complexity.
The key to beginning your sustainability journey is to simplify and start small; those little steps add up to a much bigger positive impact.
It can seem overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that it is a process – and everyone has to start somewhere. You don’t need to be perfect – you just need to be moving in the right direction.
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for Axiom Sustainability Software, and how do you envision the company’s role in shaping the future of sustainable business practices?
Our ambition is to create a truly all-in-one sustainability reporting and management platform that simplifies our customers’ sustainability journey. We don’t just want to be a software solutions provider; we want to be a partner to our customers, providing them with the hands-on support they need to succeed on their sustainability journey.
