Out of the Bubble

Source: CHEFINFO

DIGITAL MILE. The DIGITAL MILE Linz (DiMi) brings together 4,500 people from a wide variety of IT companies in a very small space, and as different as they may be, they all have to deal with the same challenges. Cross-company working groups are now working together to find solutions.

The 10 DiMi core team companies are not only united by their digital focus, but also by their work on current topics. Topics that are currently burning issues, such as dealing with sustainability in the context of ESG criteria. According to Georg Spiesberger, Managing Director of TECH HARBOR and initiator of the DIGITAL MILE, there are enough loose network groups, but their impact is suboptimal. "You need trusting cooperation and that can only be achieved in a protected environment." The so-called Cross Company Working Groups (CCWG) form this framework. A structured process is set in motion to create such a group. If at least four companies sign up to a topic, a CCWG
is set up with a kick-off workshop in which the goals and roadmap are defined. "It is important that there is a starting point and an end point. During this period, concentrated work can be done on solutions."

How do you become sustainably sustainable?

The first CCWG is dedicated to ESG criteria and how to become sustainable. "Although we have different perspectives and come from different organizations, we are all at the same point from which to work on change," explains Sophie Tröls from MIC Custom Solutions. Mario Mauracher from Dynatrace takes a similar view: those who strategically anchor sustainability issues in the company make their own company more resilient and future-proof. "For example, our own employees are proud of what we achieve together, and new employees can identify with the company's values." Dynatracers around the world are actively involved
as volunteers in environmental projects as part of the "Green Weeks", for example. "Sustainability is a topic that unfolds its power through multiplication." Sophie Tröls is certain that working together will shorten the path to a solution: "I am a great advocate of working on sustainability issues most effectively together with other companies." Klaus Eisler-Zarbock from Kontron AG is also convinced by the concept: "ESG is not a static set of rules - it constantly requires
new answers and strategic foresight. The open exchange on the entire range of ESG topics helps us not only to solve current challenges, but also to better understand long-term impact chains." In the CCWG, blind spots can be recognized and best practices identified together.

Further CCWGs ante portas

Incidentally, the next CCWG is already in the starting blocks. "We want to look at the topic of marketing and positioning," reveals Spiesberger. There will be three to four CCWGs per year. The people taking part are fixed, because: "Trust is not built between the companies, but between the people involved."