Tag: Microsoft

Tech Review – Boom UNO

The Boom UNO is solid, looks modern and is available in black or white for Professional video conferencing meetings. This comes with a  USB 2.0 cable that connects to your computer and fits directly on the bottom of the kit, The length of the cable can be expanded via the supplied extension cable ( In the box: UNO, USB 2.0 cable, USB extender, quick guide Cable length: USB cable: 152.4cm USB extension: 183cm) allowing for additional distance from your laptop. The kit is designed for areas in Huddle Room, Executive Office, Telehealth but can be used in any area required for conference calls as with Pc Mac laptop Desktop. It has a cylindrical shape with a wide-angle camera on the top and a speakerphone on the bottom. The device Dimensions are 181mm x 62mm x 62mm) Weight: is 465g while solid on a surface. The device is designed as a collaboration solution with HD video and omnidirectional speakerphone

 

 Package Contents

  •         Part number: BM03-0016 (black), BM03-0017 (white)
  •         UNO all-in-one
  •         USB 2.0 cable
  •         Extension cable
  •         Quick guide

UNBOXING

Features:

  •       Full HD 1080p @ 30fps
  •       Wide angle: 120° field of view
  •       Multi codec
  •       Full Duplex HD audio
  •       Omnidirectional microphone
  •       High-quality CMOS sensor
  •       Dynamic Noise Reduction (DNR)
  •       Echo cancellation
  •       Plug & Play
  •       USB 2.0
  •       3-year warranty

 

Setup & use:

The Boom UNO is easy to set up and use as required no additional software to be manually downloaded, Once this is plugged into the Laptop USB port the installation of the drivers and software is done in the background. You can then use it with any video conferencing platform such as Zoom, Teams, Webex, Meet, Bluejeans, GoToMeeting, Skype etc.  The device supports multiple resolutions up to 1080p at 30 frames per second and has a plug-and-play feature that makes it compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Chrome OS.

 When in use the green light indicated use,  or the Red light when muted, The lens can be slightly adjusted manually up or down. Once connected to eg a team call the kit defaults on the system to the Audio/video settings. The process of connections worked seamlessly and efficiently.

Once connected which was simple and easy the basic in terms of volume up, down mute worked.

 

 

 

A niggle in terms of the connections was noted in Teams & Youtube, On turning up the volume on 2 separate modern Windows laptops, the volume was increased/decreased but not shown on your tube or Team calls, When the mute was pressed on a team call, the call muted & change to red but again the mute symbol within the team call did change to advise muted. ( Technically this worked as expected but not the indication we have become familiar with )

The Audio when increased/decreased via the Uno up/ down buttons, had an effect of a step down of the volume rather than a liner approach noticeable when going from a low volume to 0 volume quickly, typically the frequency of calls on other devices gradually fade away while with Uno this audio when from low to zero.

The Brand: Boom Collaboration is a company that specializes in video conferencing and collaboration tools founded in 2020 with their  Headquarters in Austin, Texas, they also offer a range of high-quality cameras for video conferencing. Their logo boasts “We are on a mission to make Meetings Better. Simply.” Their Specialties include Videoconferencing, Collaboration Hardware, Video conferencing cameras, Webcams, Hybrid work solutions, Work From Home Solutions, All-In-One devices, PTZ 4K cameras, Distance learning, Telehealth, Huddle rooms, Intelligent AI solutions, Audio Visual Installations, NDI compatible cameras,

Warranty:

Boom Collaboration have got this right in terms of a 3-year warranty and an optional 5-year Boom Care plan which is an indication of their confidence in their brand.

Conclusion

The Boom UNO is a compact all-in-one high-quality audio and video device for use in small meetings, home or setting that required a video conferencing option. The kit is compact and I would like to see an option of a USB C cable and an option to connect to a phone, Bluetooth or via the USB C cable to increase the flexibility/option of the kit. The extension cable is excellent allowing to extend of the distance of the cable as required,

The colours of the screen are great to see in terms of Green and Red, but on testing on a team’s call, the mute does as required on the call but does not change the software mute icon to show mute. Similarly, the volume up/down features works but again the software does not show the increase on eg YouTube or MS Teams.

The setup and use are easy requiring no technical skills in this area with the extension cable a bonus to facilitate the placing of the kit further away from the laptop.

The audio experience in terms of moving away from the mic a distance worked quite well for calls where users did not experience a major deterioration  of the call quality as I moved further away from the 360° omnidirectional microphone, This was superior to many tested before due to the dynamic noise reduction and echo cancellation features.

The camera has a View angle: of 120° with a Resolution: of 1920 x 1080. This gave a good quality picture while when tested with one person on the call or a team the autofocus of a team’s call did not appear to have much of an effect.  The camera can be manually slightly tilted up and down while not a PTZ camera nor does it zoom in out to focus on an area. The camera cannot be manually blocked out rather have to do this via the laptop etc The quality from the  CMOS  Image sensor ( (1/2.8)) gave a good quality picture at @30fps.   The kit works as required with a simple-to-use setup with clear features colour coded for effective calls and audio

BUY 

Video Review

AI Talent is on the rise – new skills required to meet the demands of digital transformation – Labour Market Pulse

IDA Ireland, in partnership with Microsoft and LinkedIn, has today published its latest Labour Market Pulse, which provides an overview of current insights and trends across the Irish labour market to help inform decision makers across business, academia and public policy.

This edition of the Labour Market Pulse highlights the rising importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills among today’s workforces and takes a closer look at the growth of AI in Ireland. AI, and the skills related to it, are central to empowering businesses to digitally transform their organisations.

The growth of AI is anticipated to positively impact jobs and skills across multiple sectors and many businesses are currently in the early stages of identifying their potential use of AI. Demand for AI skills continues to outpace supply and skills availability has been deemed the most important obstacle to the adoption of AI for companies. With the European Year of Skills set to begin in May, the World Economic Forum predicts that 97 million jobs involving AI will be created between 2022 and 2025 and overcoming current skills gaps will require targeted efforts.

The latest Labour Market Pulse also places a spotlight on gender diversity in AI teams. LinkedIn data shows that 1.36% of women and 2.55% of men in Ireland were considered AI talent in 2022. Despite this gap, progress is being made, with the number of women considered AI talent growing faster year-on-year. Between 2016-2022, there was a 40.5% increase in the number of women in AI compared to 34.7% in the number of men considered AI talent.

AI in Ireland

In 2022, LinkedIn members in Ireland working in the Education sector held the highest share of AI talent, at 6.36%, reflecting Ireland’s strong position as a hub for research and innovation. Globally, LinkedIn members employed in Technology, Information and Media possessed the largest share of AI talent.

Ireland is responding to the shortage of AI skills by focusing on employee reskilling and upskilling and introducing initiatives to build capacity in AI, including the appointment of an AI ambassador, the introduction of a National Masters in AI, and a digital strategy for schools.

There are more than 105 courses in AI and related areas available across Ireland, which, combined with the highly skilled workforce and culture of innovation, make Ireland well positioned to lead in the development and adoption of AI.

Employment

Meanwhile, the Pulse also looks at employment rates in Ireland and highlights a continued slowing in the hiring rate from post-pandemic highs. Hiring rates in January 2023 were 27.2% lower than January 2022.

Following rapid hiring during the reopening of the economy post-pandemic, the labour market stabilised in 2022. Continued economic headwinds see employees appear to choose stability over change, with longer tenures also reflected in the decreasing hiring rate.

Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment commented: “AI skills and talent are becoming increasingly vital for Ireland’s economic growth and competitiveness in the global market.  As AI continues to revolutionise industries across the board, those with the skills and expertise to develop and deploy cutting-edge AI solutions will be in high demand.  Ireland has the potential to be a leader in this field, but it will require a concerted effort to cultivate and attract top AI talent to the country.”

“I welcome this latest Labour Market Pulse on AI Talent, and the collaboration between IDA Ireland, Microsoft and LinkedIn, that underpins it.  It highlights the huge growth in demand for AI talent and the opportunities for both individuals and businesses who have identified and invested in the necessary skills.”

“I applaud the work of IDA Ireland in supporting and encouraging businesses to ensure that they have the digital and AI skills they need for the future.”

Commenting on the Labour Market Pulse, IDA Ireland Interim CEO Mary Buckley said: ‘’I welcome the data insights which shows that AI and digital skills are continuing to grow here in Ireland year on year. The increase in female enrolment in AI related education programmes is particularly welcome. Despite global uncertainty, it’s encouraging to see Ireland react to the need to develop AI skills with a focus on upskilling and reskilling all the way from the workforce to a digital strategy for schools.’’

Commenting on the Labour Market Pulse, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President of Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, said: “AI is a defining technology of our time, and we are optimistic about what AI can do for people, industry, and society. Already it is helping to solve some of society’s greatest challenges, be that making farming more sustainable, protecting vulnerable communities from climate change, or cleaning up the world’s oceans. As AI systems evolve, we expect that AI advances will change the nature of some jobs and work, and even create new jobs that didn’t exist before. These shifts are similar to the changes we’ve seen with other major technological advances such as the invention of the telephone or the automobile. And like those changes, we expect this shift will require new ways of thinking about skills and training to ensure that workers are prepared for the future and that there is enough talent available for critical jobs.

“With the Government’s Digital Ireland Framework seeking to have 75% of businesses using AI by 2030, it is welcome to see the strong growth in AI talent in the latest Labour Market Pulse and the new upskilling and reskilling opportunities that are coming on stream to help skill up Ireland for our AI age.”

Head of LinkedIn in Ireland Sharon McCooey added: “Despite the slowdown in hiring across the country, there are growth opportunities emerging in areas like AI and the green economy, as outlined in the previous Labour Market Pulse. While AI talent is very much in demand, there is a clear need to develop a pipeline of skilled professionals to take up these roles. Given the current tightness in the labour market, employers should focus on a skills-based approach to hiring. This is particularly relevant in the field of AI given that many of the third level courses available, such as AI for medical research, have only emerged in recent years.”

Full details on the latest insights from Labour Market Pulse can be found at the following link:

https://www.idaireland.com/latest-news/publications/labour-market-pulse-edition-8

Tech Review – Jabra Evolve2 buds

The Jabra Evolve2 buds are the ideal partner to have if you work from home or in the office and use more than one device and if you are into meetings which is more common than ever these days these earbuds is what you need and if you like your music too well then these solve all these problems in one go and the thing is they are portable and can be brought anywhere and it is a super simple set-up with the dongle to switch between two devices which for me is key and a multipoint connection is for me something that is a must and again for those who work in either closed or open office space environments.

The design of the earbuds is familiar with their current range and for me is fine they work well and fit perfectly with the right tips and again this is something I always point out when using earbuds to get the best out of them and these also come with the MyFit option to ensure you have them set up at optimum levels which will benefit you in the end so do not skip the process, you can if you life however you will not get the full performance they offer if not, it only takes a few minutes and is worth it, trust me.

The App

The app as always is excellent although this time around it has being tailored towards the use of teams we have covered the app multiple times here on site but we do take a look in more detail in the video review below.. As expected the app is full of features and allows you take control of what you want and need with a nice UI and it is simple to navigate.

The sound

OK well what more would you expect from Jabra then? They sound great from all aspects of use be it connected to PC or phone and the same applies for using teams on both, there was some lag latency noted at first but an updated chimed through during testing and seems to have fixed it, like any other pair of Jabra earbuds I have used the I was confident these would not disappoint and that they did not given they are geared for Teams and UC platforms. In short these Evolve2 buds are a one stop shop for those who want to still enjoy their music and spend much of their day on Teams calls with no issues at all noted and drop outs during my testing.

The only thing noted was the ANC is not up to par at this price-point however these are a more targeted pair of earbuds towards the office if you will rather than a whole music experience but they overall as mentioned still are a one stop shop for those who are in the environments and you have a nice widget you can use on your phone to swap between modes also giving you the stats at hand for reference.

Key features of the Evolve2 Buds: 

  • Certified for Microsoft Teams and leading UC platforms – for enhanced collaboration experience 
  • MultiSensor Voice technology – ensures professional call performance by using multiple mics and Jabra algorithms to block out noise 
  • Plug-and-play USB adapter for enhanced connectivity – 20 metre/65 feet range allows users the freedom to move around their work environment 
  • Advanced Multipoint connection – connect to two devices at one time 
  • Adjustable Active Noise Cancellation – filters out background noise allowing for increased focus 
  • HearThrough and single earbud use – allows the user to hear surrounding sounds through the earbuds whilst wearing them 
  • Increased battery life – with 33 hours of battery, including the case and wireless charging 
  • Ultra-discreet design – for ultimate comfort and a professional look  

BUY 

Video review

Ergo Achieves Microsoft Networking Services Specialisation to Further Advance Market-Leading Azure Capabilities

Ergo has become the only Irish IT services company to achieve the Networking Services in Microsoft Azure Specialisation, designed for Microsoft partners to demonstrate their deep knowledge, extensive experience and proven success in planning and deploying networks in Azure.

A rigorous and independent audit validated Ergo’s capability, not just for implementation but also for operating and optimising a customer’s network architecture, paying particular attention to performance, security and value. Strengths of Ergo’s public cloud and networking practices were praised in the audit, including its skilled and qualified staff in enterprise networking technologies, the accomplished standardisation of business processes and the strong focus on continual improvement.

The specialisation also recognises the breadth of Ergo’s competencies, a depth of knowledge around traditional networks that complements a range of virtual network solutions. For organisations pursuing hybrid strategies, where they need to connect on-premises infrastructure with cloud services, it’s a critical combination of skills to have at their disposal.

Des Curley, Head of Ergo’s Networking Practice, said, “Ergo has always recognised that the network is the backbone for every cloud strategy. This Microsoft Azure specialisation endorses our capability to provide customers with best-in-class combinations of physical and virtual networks, enabling complex hybrid environments to flourish with no impact on performance.”

Martina Naughton, Global Partner Sales Director of Microsoft Ireland, commented, “Ergo has been at the leading-edge of Microsoft technology for nearly 30 years in Ireland and I applaud their team’s work in adding another Azure specialisation to the six they have already achieved. I look forward to working closely with them on new projects in the years ahead.”

Kevin Greene, Public Cloud Practice Lead at Ergo, said, “This advanced Microsoft specialisation validates our leadership in the cloud connectivity market. All the networking skills we’ve fine-tuned over the years around on-premises environments have been successfully adapted, added to and enhanced for cloud.”

The new specialisation is the latest milestone in a journey that began when Ergo became a Microsoft Azure Expert MSP in 2021. The highest Azure status Microsoft sets for its elite global partners, it validates excellence in designing, building, operating and optimising cloud solutions. The networking specialisation highlights another strength in a growing portfolio of hybrid cloud propositions.

Alongside this latest advanced specialisation, Ergo have also achieved the following six specialisations across the Azure and Modern Work partner designations:

  • Windows Server and SQL Server Migration to Microsoft Azure
  • Threat Protection
  • Linux and Open-source Databases Migration to Microsoft Azure
  • Adoption and Change Management
  • Modernisation of Web Applications to Microsoft Azure
  • Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop

Microsoft brings its Dream Space experience to Northern Ireland

Microsoft has announced the opening of its dedicated innovation and education hub, Microsoft Dream Space, in a new state-of-the-art learning centre in W5, Belfast’s award-winning science and discovery centre.

The opening of Microsoft Dream Space at the LIFE at W5 facility is an important milestone for the company as it seeks to provide 1,000,000 students, as well as their teachers, across the island of Ireland with the opportunity to engage in an immersive learning experience and develop their digital skills. This follows Microsoft’s recent announcement that it intends to invest a further €3m in the expansion of Microsoft Dream Space over the next four years.

Microsoft first opened the doors of Dream Space at its campus in Dublin in 2018. Through physical and virtual education sessions, more than 130,000 young people from across the island of Ireland have enjoyed the opportunity to learn digital skills that are increasingly important in our digital economy and society.

The fully immersive Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) experience has been developed by Microsoft in partnership with educators to inspire, encourage and challenge students to think creatively in areas such as computer science, AI, Mixed Reality, and robotics.

Since rolling out the Microsoft Dream Space experience in Northern Ireland last year with the support of W5, Microsoft has engaged close to 5,000 young people through a mix of virtual and in-person experiences. This number is expected to increase rapidly with the opening of the dedicated innovation and education hub in Belfast, unlocking new opportunities for primary and post-primary students to engage in digital skills.

Commenting on the opening, Anne Sheehan, General Manager, Microsoft Ireland said: “At Microsoft, we’re passionate about helping young people to engage in STEM learning and shift their perceptions about the role technology can play in their future career choices. With digital technology reshaping how we live, work, and learn, it is important that young people develop digital skills at the earliest opportunity. That’s why, four years ago we invested in the Microsoft Dream Space experience and just recently announced our commitment to its continued growth and expansion over the next four years.

“We’ve had many students from Northern Ireland based schools both participate in our virtual Dream Space offering and attend our hub at our campus in Dublin, however, it was always an ambition of ours to have a physical Dream Space experience in Northern Ireland. It’s great to have reached this milestone. We look forward to our continued partnership with the team at Odyssey Trust and the impact we can have together.”

Nigel Cunningham, Microsoft Northern Ireland Regional Lead added: “At Microsoft, we want to ensure that the next generation has the skills to succeed in our digital economy and society. The official opening of our physical Dream Space experience in Belfast highlights our commitment to providing students across Northern Ireland with the opportunity to engage in STEM. By working in partnership with W5 and the wider education community, we can help foster a pipeline of skilled talent in Northern Ireland that is best positioned to fill the in-demand jobs of today and tomorrow.”

In addition to the dedicated education and innovation hub at W5, the recent expansion of Microsoft Dream Space has resulted in the delivery of a suite of new offerings including Dream Space Academy for Primary; Dream Space Academy for Post-Primary; Dream Space Digital Academy, and the evolution of Dream Space Teacher and Dream Space TV.

To find out more about the Microsoft Dream Space experience and the resources available to schools and youth groups, visit: www.microsoft.com/dreamspace

Microsoft announces renewable energy contracts that contribute almost 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase agreement target by 2030

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD today joined Microsoft as it announced new renewable energy contracts, which will see the company contribute close to 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase agreement target by 2030.

Microsoft entered into multi-year Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) with Statkraft, Energia Group, and Power Capital Renewable Energy, related to the development of more than 900 megawatts of onshore wind and solar energy projects across Ireland.

The new power purchase agreements will help support efforts to add additional clean energy capacity to the electricity grid. The Government’s Climate Action Plan includes a target of 15% of electricity demand to be delivered from renewable energy CPPAs by 2030. This equates to approximately 6 terawatt hours of additional electricity generation.

Microsoft’s procurement will contribute 28% of that target before the end of the decade. The company is seeking to make a material contribution to accelerating the country’s journey to a net-zero future.

In line with the company’s global sustainability goal, Microsoft forecasts that it will cover 100% of its data centre electricity load by 2025 with renewable energy.

Commenting on the announcement, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD, said: “Data is an enabler of our digital world facilitating everything from remote working and online learning to e-commerce, e-health and online banking. As we position Ireland as a global digital leader and achieve our climate change objectives, Government is determined to progress both the digitalisation of our economy and its decarbonisation. Today’s announcement by Microsoft is very welcome news and will help to ensure that the company’s data centres play a more positive role in bringing new green power to the electricity grid and driving Ireland’s renewable energy transition.” 

 

Noelle Walsh, Corporate Vice President, Cloud Operations and Innovation, Microsoft said: “At Microsoft, we’re committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030, working with Governments globally to accelerate the journey to a net-zero future. That’s why I’m delighted to announce today that Microsoft has signed 900MW of onshore wind and solar renewable energy power purchase agreements, which will enable Microsoft to achieve our 2025 sustainability goals and to contribute close to 30% of Ireland’s corporate power purchase target by 2030. With these agreements, we support new renewable energy infrastructure in Ireland. We’re proud to be partnering with leading energy providers to bring this additional renewable energy on stream and help industry and Government and the broader energy sector to achieve its climate action ambitions.

 “This announcement builds on our efforts to make our data centres more sustainable and foster new innovations to support the growth of renewables on the energy grid here in Ireland. As we continue to support the growing demand for Cloud across public and private sectors, Microsoft is committed to partnering with all stakeholders to help Ireland on its grid decarbonisation journey while unlocking the opportunities of a digital economy and society.” 

Kevin O’Donovan, Managing Director, Statkraft Ireland said: “As Europe’s largest renewable energy company, Statkraft is already a key player in the Irish market. Given our rapidly growing wind and solar portfolio, as well as our market trading business, we are well-placed to support companies like Microsoft in achieving their renewable energy ambitions.

“Today’s announcement shows that our continued rollout of new wind and solar projects is not just having a significant impact on Ireland’s renewable targets, but helping to deliver affordable, green energy to homes, communities – and businesses – amid a fossil fuel-driven energy crisis.”

Ian Thom, CEO, Energia Group said: “As an Irish energy company with a proven history of delivering new renewable energy projects and for providing innovative solutions for our customers, today’s announcement with Microsoft highlights the benefit of collaboration in bringing about collective benefit for society, enterprise, and the economy.  Energia Group has set clear targets to promote Ireland’s energy transition and to facilitate the achievement of the Government’s 2030 targets that will be realised through a pipeline of almost 3,000 MW of new renewable projects across a range of technologies, including offshore wind, onshore wind and solar.  This agreement represents another step towards the achievement of these targets.”

Commenting on the announcement Power Capital Renewable Energy Co CEO Peter Duff said, “As an indigenous Irish company we are delighted to be partnering with Microsoft on such a landmark agreement. Solar is now a proven force in Ireland and has become increasingly viable for businesses and homes. We see Solar PV having a significant positive impact on the targets in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. We very much look forward to playing an increasing role in the further decarbonisation of the grid here in Ireland.”

Today’s announcement reinforces Microsoft’s commitment to advancing sustainability through collaboration and innovation. In July this year, the company outlined its plans to use its uninterruptable power supply (UPS) batteries within its data centres in Dublin for real-time interaction with Ireland’s power grid. On days when wind or solar power production is fluctuating, Microsoft’s backup batteries can be used to help maintain a steady flow of energy to power customers. That means fossil-fuel burning powerplants will be needed less often to maintain steady power, cutting emissions and fuel costs.

New UCC Sustainable Futures report, commissioned by Microsoft, reveals Irish businesses are largely underprepared for a net zero transition

A new sustainability report launched today at Microsoft Envision has revealed that Irish businesses are significantly underprepared when it comes to making the transformative changes required to transition to a net zero future.

The new UCC Sustainable Futures report entitled “The Sustainability Transformation: Assessing the Readiness of Irish Businesses” was commissioned by Microsoft Ireland to understand the level of business preparedness for a sustainable, net zero future and includes a national survey of 380 SMEs and larger enterprises across a range of sectors.

The report found that one in five (19%) businesses are yet to start their sustainability journey, while less than one in ten (9%) consider themselves to be well-advanced or truly sustainable. Concerningly, even for those who are in the early stages of their sustainability journey, three in five businesses are yet to formulate a dedicated sustainability strategy or policy. 20% of businesses surveyed said they had no set commitments or targets relating to any critical sustainability issues.

The research also points to a concerning lack of sustainability leadership and suitable skills among Irish businesses when it comes to driving sustainable transformation. Approximately seven in ten (69%) do not have someone tasked with developing and implementing a sustainability strategy. A similar proportion (69%) do not have someone tasked with identifying environmental sustainability priorities. When it comes to sustainability skills, approximately two-thirds of Irish businesses said they were either yet to develop the required skills or had basic competencies in this area.

There is strong evidence to suggest that Irish businesses underestimate the scale of ambition and action that are required to build a path to net zero emissions by 2050 with just 22% of Irish businesses having committed to a net zero target.

This is despite Government setting out to reduce emissions nationally by 51% by 2030 and to become carbon neutral by 2050. Moreover, larger Irish businesses will be required to publicly disclose information on how they engage with environmental, social, and governance issues as part of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive from 1st January 2024.

Whilst many businesses are yet to start addressing the sustainability crisis, it’s clear that Irish businesses see digital technologies as an enabler of their journey to a net zero future. Four in five (81%) businesses stated that digital technology was “important”, “fairly important” or “very important” to their organisation’s sustainability transition. However, almost two thirds (64%) of Irish businesses said they had not adopted digital technologies to support their sustainability efforts or were in the early stages of adopting technology for this purpose. Only a very small proportion (6%) of businesses are either “well advanced and ahead of most others” or “an exemplar of best practice” in this area.

Commenting on the research results, Anne Sheehan, General Manager, Microsoft Ireland, said: “The ever-growing need to protect the planet is forcing companies of all sizes to transform how they operate, with “business as usual” no longer a sustainable way forward. Whilst organisations globally are putting sustainability at the heart of their business, Microsoft included, many are yet to commence their sustainability journeys and that’s why we commissioned UCC Sustainable Futures to assess the readiness of Irish businesses for this transformation.

“It’s clear from UCC’s report that Irish businesses underestimate the scale of ambition and action that is required to transition to a net zero future. The lack of progress is concerning given Government’s overarching climate action commitments for 2030 and beyond. In order for national targets to be met, every organisation must play its part and take action by making sustainability a business imperative and a leadership priority.

“Simplifying sustainability measurement and reporting is one area that will help SMEs who may not have the in-house expertise or skills. Developing a workforce with the sustainability skills Ireland needs will also require a concerted and coordinated effort from businesses, industry organisations, the education sector and Government. At Microsoft, we are committed to playing our part in this regard.

“Irish businesses of all sizes see digital technology as a critical enabler of their sustainable transitions, however, most are yet to leverage it for this purpose. From using data intelligence to monitor carbon emissions to harnessing AI to reduce energy consumption, technology can empower businesses on their journey whilst also opening up new business opportunities.

“It’s clear that now really is the time for Irish businesses to move faster and go further in order to achieve a net zero future for all.”

Dr. Marguerite Nyhan, Associate Professor in Future Sustainability & Environmental Engineering, University College Cork said: “Climate change is one of our world’s most pressing challenges, and this decade will be extremely important in terms of setting us on a path to a sustainable and net zero future. This week at COP27, global leaders are gathering to build significant momentum for climate action. It is absolutely certain that businesses will play an extremely important role in the sustainability transformation and their actions will be vitally important in our global and national efforts to rapidly reduce emissions and mitigate climate change.

“Our research shows that although some businesses are embracing the sustainability transition, the majority are not and need to step up their sustainability and decarbonisation efforts immediately.

“That begins by defining a sustainability strategy with firm net zero commitments and targets that are measured and monitored. Organisations urgently need to be aware of the new sustainability reporting obligations and address the challenges associated with sustainability reporting. That will require enhanced sustainability expertise and skills at every level within business including at leadership level.

“To drive meaningful change, leaders must look to understand the economic case for sustainability within their organisations and the competitive advantages it can gain in the years ahead. As digital technologies offer potential to drive systems change and manage, monitor and track progress, businesses should maximise the opportunities of the digital revolution to achieve their sustainability and net zero ambitions. By taking the lead and harnessing the opportunities of the sustainability transition which is underway, Irish businesses can play a positive role in addressing this pressing challenge of our time.”

The results of the report were unveiled to business and IT leaders at Microsoft Envision today. The event, which took place in Dublin’s Convention Centre, showcased how businesses can harness the power of technology to achieve more with less and incorporate sustainability into every business process and function, igniting infinite possibilities for the future.

To support Irish businesses to start their sustainability journey, Microsoft has made a number of resources available on the Microsoft Sustainability Learning Center. There are also a number of tools that are available to help organisations to accelerate their sustainability journey wherever they are on their path to net zero, enabling them to amplify progress and transform their business through environmental, social, and governance (ESG) capabilities, available on the Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. 

Microsoft Ireland employees raise over €270,000 for LauraLynn

Microsoft Ireland employees successfully completed a month-long fundraiser in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, which saw the team raise over €270,000 – breaking the €150,000 fundraising target set for this year’s initiative. This brings the total amount raised through Microsoft’s annual cycle for LauraLynn since it began in 2014 to an incredible €840,000.

This year’s charity fundraiser – ‘The Microsoft Way’ – saw Microsoft Ireland employees take part in a number of activities, including walking, running, swimming, and a cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way.  As part of this cycle, a group of 100 cyclists and support crew travelled 350km along the Wild Atlantic Way from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, to Clifden, Co Galway, over three consecutive days.

All funds raised go directly to LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. These include therapies such as music therapy, play therapy and counselling, as well as vital short stays at the hospice for families in need of respite or crisis care.

Announcing the news today, James O’Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Vice President of Microsoft International Operations, said: “Our team at Microsoft Ireland continue to be inspired by the work undertaken by LauraLynn as it provides vital care and support to children and their families across Ireland. That’s why our employees once again organised a month-long fundraising challenge this autumn to raise much needed funds.  Over 100 cyclists and support crew cycled 350km from Ballybunion to Clifden, while others played their part by walking, running and swimming.

“Since 2014, we have enjoyed a close relationship with the charity and raised over €840,000 in vital funds to empower LauraLynn to provide palliative care and supports to children with life-limiting conditions. We are very proud of all our employees for achieving such an incredible fundraising milestone.”

Kerry McLaverty, CEO of LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, said: “We are humbled by the continued support shown to LauraLynn by one of our closest neighbours, Microsoft Ireland. This is the nineth consecutive year that Microsoft employees have come out in force to fundraise for LauraLynn, and we are so thankful for their support. The generosity and commitment shown by the Microsoft Ireland team, year in and year out, has made a huge difference for children with life-limiting conditions and this year’s funds will ensure the continued delivery of vital hospice services to children and families across the country.” 

Microsoft Announce Collaboration with Irish Pharmaceutical Blockchain Disruptors ServBlock

ServBlock, a Blockchain and pharmaceutical compliance company is collaborating with Microsoft’s Early Access Engineering programme to produce a novel business case for the use of NFT technology in meeting compliance standards.

Servblock translates the current human to human based quality assurance process to a digital first trust system underpinned by machine to machine interactions and blockchain technology, providing verified data that is automatically checked for compliance.

Pharmaceutical compliance entails a multitude of processes requiring manual checking of data and tasks which require detailed attention, passing numerous levels of scrutiny often multiple times. ServBlock automates this process in a much more secure, timely and cost-efficient manner than the current status-quo with the use of blockchain technology.

The use of blockchain helps create validated digital traceability systems for pharmaceutical parts by recording data in real-time throughout a supply chain. With blockchain solutions, pharmaceutical-based transactions and processes can become secure, cheaper, and quicker than usual. For new biotech facility start up projects ServBlock can save 14,400 commissioning hours resulting in an average saving of 1.5 million euros per project.

As well as cost reduction ServBlock’s technology:

  • Eliminates fraud in the pharmaceutical supply chain

  • Eliminates the risk of counterfeit or contaminated drugs entering the market

  • Greatly reduces human error in the supply chain.

Blockchain is most commonly known for its uses in the financial industry and being particularly rooted in cryptocurrency over the last decade, but its fundamental data integrity properties means it is particularly suited to regulated industries, such as pharmaceutical production and distribution.

In collaboration with Microsoft, ServBlock has developed a novel use of non-fungible token (NFT) technology. NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated, normally bought and sold. This model presents the perfect framework to ensure transparency for all stakeholders from beginning to end.

John Ward, CEO and founder of ServBlock, said: ‘Implementing new technologies to aid in the continued improvement of compliance standards is a core pillar of what ServBlock does. To have Microsoft on board gives further validation to the work we have been doing since founding the company and blockchain as a powerful business tool. NFTs have gained recognition and popularity for their use in selling art and a new internet culture, but we are glad to be starting the adoption of real world use within an enterprise setting.’

Quality assurance data is tokenized and in this way shows an end-to-end business use case for NFT use in the pharmaceutical industry. Every business process is signed by business participants, stored then shared through a ledger which itself shows ownership of assets from their creation. Every business process is shared among business participants ensuring traceability at every stop.

Small, Medium & Corporate Lead for Microsoft Ireland, Peter Lougheed said: “NFTs are one of the most exciting concepts to emerge from blockchain technology, and have grown to be hugely significant. It’s great to see a Microsoft Founders Hub member, like ServBlock, continue to scale and expand. We, at Microsoft, are excited to collaborate with ServBlock in developing their technology to better enable the pharmaceutical industry to meet their, often very complex, compliance standards.”

This collaboration presents the first use case of NFTs within a pharmaceutical manufacturing setting and therefore uncovers great potential for the use of blockchain technology in a variety of areas which rely heavily on secure, transparent ownership of assets.