You’ve Got an AI Budget. Use It to Power Sustainability.

Let’s start with the obvious: AI is getting all the budget love right now.

Every conversation I’ve had lately - across tech, ops, marketing, and yes... sustainability - people are trying to figure out how to apply AI inside their org. IDC says we’ll hit over $640B in GenAI spend next year. That’s a lot. And while it’s exciting, it’s also kind of frustrating because most of that budget has nothing to do with the hard stuff - environment, climate, people, equity, the systems we’re trying to fix.

So - what if we flipped the script?

What if sustainability leaders - CSOs, heads of ESG, procurement teams, even brand leads -used the momentum (and budgets) already building for AI to move our work forward?

This post is for anyone who’s asked:

• How do I get my hands on the AI budget?

• How can I use AI in a way that’s actually meaningful?

• Where do I even start?

Here’s how I think about it:

1. Start with strategy - and make it dynamic.

That’s what we built Taza for. It’s not a dashboard. It’s an atlas.

We take everything your team’s trying to do - reduce emissions, meet regulatory goals, align suppliers, tell your story better - and help you actually do it. We combine real and relevant roadmap initiatives with real-time insights, a living execution framework, and AI that’s trained specifically on sustainability (not just a generic chatbot). Taza’s Vertical AI adapts to your company, your sector, and your progress. It’s not one-and-done. It’s where you come back to collaborate, iterate, and improve.

2. Then, make sure your storytelling holds up.

Your brand matters. And as regulations tighten around claims, having a story that’s compelling and compliant is key.

That’s where a tool like Flourish comes in - they blend AI, legal review, and narrative-building to help teams tell their sustainability story with confidence.

(Also - Taza partners with Flourish to offer Brand Reputation Reports for Sustainability. If you’ve ever wondered how your sustainability efforts are landing with customers, investors, employees… this is how you find out. And yes, that insight can shape your next campaign.)

3. Pull in the supply chain data - and put it to work.

There are amazing tools for supplier assessments (EcoVadis, SupplyShift, etc.), and we’re all gathering more data than ever.

The problem? It just sits in reports.

With Taza, we connect data to action to people. You can upload reporting data into the platform and let our system help you prioritize your next best action. We don’t just collect, we translate it into actionable use cases - matched to your goals, region, and relevant partners. That way, when you talk to your AI/IT budget lead, you’re not just “doing sustainability,” you’re optimizing org-wide intelligence.

4. Don’t forget the teams around you.

Some of the best use cases we’ve seen for Taza? Getting non-sustainability teams into the game.

• Sales teams using AI-generated proposals aligned to customer sustainability goals.

• Procurement teams choosing between suppliers based on AI-mapped impact.

• Employees scanning QR codes at onboarding to see how their role connects to bigger climate outcomes.

Taza makes these touchpoints easier to build, share, and evolve—because sustainability can’t just live with one team anymore.

5. And finally - keep coming back.

Sustainability isn’t a straight line. Priorities shift. New rules drop. People leave, join, change focus.

That’s why we built Taza to be a flywheel:

One place to align teams, find new ideas, surface trusted partners, and stay accountable over time.

One place that connects strategy to systems, execution to ecosystems.

Think of it as your Atlas: a shared map, always updating, always moving you forward.

So if you’re wondering how to make the case for AI in your sustainability work - this is it.

Use what’s already moving.

Frame sustainability as a proving ground for smart, scalable, people-powered AI.

And when they ask you where to start - send them your map.

Let’s build what’s next.

-Mary