Let’s face it—tracking those elusive greenhouse gases in our global food supply chains is like trying to solve a century-old murder with only a magnifying glass for help. And that’s where companies like Mondra enter the picture, rolling up their sleeves with artificial intelligence, predictive modeling, and cutting-edge cloud solutions to take a swing at one of the biggest challenges in sustainability today: calculating and mitigating Scope 3 emissions.
For food companies, Scope 3 emissions often constitute the largest slice of the carbon pie. Yet, they’re notoriously slippery to quantify because you’re dealing with a decentralized network: suppliers, subcontractors, and transporters, often operating in opaque silos. It's no wonder most organizations find it daunting enough to skip this step altogether.
Mondra empowers food companies to map their entire supply chain’s carbon footprint using predictive AI combined with digital twins. Think of a digital twin as a virtual clone of your real-world operations, where data flows freely into simulations that help pinpoint emission hotspots.
Here’s the kicker: Using Azure Databricks, Mondra can scale its insights across supply chains encompassing tens of thousands of products—and do this in hours, not decades. Mondra’s CEO Jason Barrett revealed that one retailer, after attempting a manual emissions audit, estimated the project would take a century to complete. With Mondra? Four hours flat.
Notably, Mondra's chatbot “Sherpa” is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o, optimized and grounded in Microsoft Azure OpenAI’s architecture. Sherpa is no ordinary bot; it serves as a natural language interface for customers to dig deep into their individualized emissions data.
For example, store owners could type, “What if I switch to renewable sources for transporting apples?” Sherpa doesn’t miss a beat, helping users experiment with hypothetical scenarios to visualize carbon reduction strategies before taking the plunge.
There’s also a meta-awareness to this use of Azure’s AI: Azure’s platform allows Mondra itself to measure the carbon emissions generated by its own AI models. This ensures that the software exists as an eco-conscious enabler, not a polluter in disguise.
What’s more, as food supply chains span regions with wildly differing energy infrastructures, even something like choosing server farms plays a role in eco-strategy. Azure facilitates this, offering insights on regional energy-efficiency levels depending on whether your servers run in, say, France (nuclear-heavy, low-carbon grid) versus other power-hungry regions.
Whether you’re just starting to think about sustainability or already knee-deep in Scope 3 calculations, Mondra’s work underscores the necessity of leveraging tech solutions to bring meaningful changes to the world. Gone are the days when going green took a lifetime to execute; now, it's potentially faster than your Amazon Prime delivery.
So, Windows enthusiasts, what sustainability strides is your organization planning? Let’s discuss in the comments! If Mondra can spotlight hidden emissions over a four-hour window, what could your own organizational insights achieve?
Source: IT Pro How Mondra is targeting food net zero using Microsoft Azure cloud computing
What Are Scope 3 Emissions, and Why Do They Matter?
Before we dive into Mondra's solution, let's level-set for those who might not have "Scope 3 emissions" plastered on their radar. Imagine you run a sandwich shop. You know how much energy your lights and ovens use (Scope 1). You also know how much energy comes from purchasing goods like electricity (Scope 2). But Scope 3? Well, that’s the carbon cost of everything outside your direct operations—your bread supplier's fertilizer, the transportation logistics for your lettuce, even the pulp used to make your napkins.For food companies, Scope 3 emissions often constitute the largest slice of the carbon pie. Yet, they’re notoriously slippery to quantify because you’re dealing with a decentralized network: suppliers, subcontractors, and transporters, often operating in opaque silos. It's no wonder most organizations find it daunting enough to skip this step altogether.
Enter Mondra: The Eco-Friendly Whizkid
Mondra is stepping up as an environmental-product-footprinting-platform champion. Its weapon of choice? Microsoft Azure, one of the leading cloud computing ecosystems for big-data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). If you're imagining a room full of computers sweating it out to calculate carbon outputs, you're close—but Mondra takes it much further using advanced digital tools.Mondra empowers food companies to map their entire supply chain’s carbon footprint using predictive AI combined with digital twins. Think of a digital twin as a virtual clone of your real-world operations, where data flows freely into simulations that help pinpoint emission hotspots.
Here’s the kicker: Using Azure Databricks, Mondra can scale its insights across supply chains encompassing tens of thousands of products—and do this in hours, not decades. Mondra’s CEO Jason Barrett revealed that one retailer, after attempting a manual emissions audit, estimated the project would take a century to complete. With Mondra? Four hours flat.
How It All Works
- Data Collection: Just like the best detective novels, it all starts with data. Mondra collects existing information from customer databases and partners in the supply chain.
- AI-Powered Predictions: Using predictive analytics, the platform predicts where emissions might be lurking based on current activities.
- Digital Twins: The data feeds into a digital twin, creating a high-resolution virtual environment of the organization’s supply chain emissions.
- Accuracy Scoring: The system isn’t afraid to say, “We’re not sure about this number.” Predictions are scored based on their reliability so that customers can cross-verify with real-world suppliers.
- Supplier Interfacing: Equipped with insights, businesses can partner with suppliers to tweak delivery methods, sourcing strategies, or production techniques to cut their carbon output while maintaining efficiency.
Azure Superpowers: The Technology Behind the Mission
It’s hard to talk about Mondra without mentioning the technological wizardry backing its operations. Microsoft Azure provides Mondra with tools including Databricks for big-data analysis, and Azure’s AI suite enables massive scale with seamless integration.Notably, Mondra's chatbot “Sherpa” is powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o, optimized and grounded in Microsoft Azure OpenAI’s architecture. Sherpa is no ordinary bot; it serves as a natural language interface for customers to dig deep into their individualized emissions data.
For example, store owners could type, “What if I switch to renewable sources for transporting apples?” Sherpa doesn’t miss a beat, helping users experiment with hypothetical scenarios to visualize carbon reduction strategies before taking the plunge.
There’s also a meta-awareness to this use of Azure’s AI: Azure’s platform allows Mondra itself to measure the carbon emissions generated by its own AI models. This ensures that the software exists as an eco-conscious enabler, not a polluter in disguise.
Challenges in the Game
But all is not rosy in the land of sustainability. CTO Marco De Sanctis emphasizes that supply chain data often arrives incomplete or riddled with errors. In part, that’s why Mondra leans heavily on AI predictions and accuracy ratings—laying the groundwork for what’s maybe the most Herculean task of all: bringing suppliers on board to actively help in uncovering and reducing emissions.What’s more, as food supply chains span regions with wildly differing energy infrastructures, even something like choosing server farms plays a role in eco-strategy. Azure facilitates this, offering insights on regional energy-efficiency levels depending on whether your servers run in, say, France (nuclear-heavy, low-carbon grid) versus other power-hungry regions.
Big Ambitions: Scaling Across Industries
Although Mondra is focused on the food and beverage industry for now, the larger vision includes branching out into new industries desperate for tools to simplify Scope 3 emission tracking. Right now, Mondra already dominates a significant slice of the UK food retail market, working with 85% of the players and covering 20% of the country’s carbon footprint.The "Net-Zero" Utopia
For organizations aspiring to hit net-zero targets, Mondra’s tech-backed approach offers not just clarity but also speed. When paired with Microsoft Azure’s scalable power and OpenAI’s conversational intelligence models, companies can amplify their sustainability story from vague commitment to actionable success.Whether you’re just starting to think about sustainability or already knee-deep in Scope 3 calculations, Mondra’s work underscores the necessity of leveraging tech solutions to bring meaningful changes to the world. Gone are the days when going green took a lifetime to execute; now, it's potentially faster than your Amazon Prime delivery.
Closing Thoughts
Microsoft Azure isn’t just underpinning Mondra’s operations—it’s challenging the notion that tech efficiency and sustainability have to exist in separate boxes. Mondra is proving that innovation and a better carbon footprint don’t only belong in the realm of science fiction but can be very real for your ground beef or baguette supply.So, Windows enthusiasts, what sustainability strides is your organization planning? Let’s discuss in the comments! If Mondra can spotlight hidden emissions over a four-hour window, what could your own organizational insights achieve?
Source: IT Pro How Mondra is targeting food net zero using Microsoft Azure cloud computing