Celebrating International Youth Day 2024.
From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development
ABL Group is joining the United Nations in celebrating the power of youth and digital innovation on International Youth Day 2024! At ABL Group we believe young minds are crucial to harnessing technology to create sustainable solutions for our world’s most pressing challenges, and to help us achieve our purpose – driving sustainability in energy and oceans.
In celebration, we are highlighting Environmental Analyst, Emma Friend who shares her journey of skill development and how she’s leveraging her expertise to create a positive impact on the world.
“I joined ABL as an Emissions Intern in January 2023, as a 21-year-old straight from University!
After graduating with a degree in Physics of the Environment the previous year, I had gained an interest in climate change and environmental issues and wanted to explore these topics further as a career.”
ABL Group emphasises the importance of empowering young people to address global challenges and the internship offered to me was a fantastic stepping stone for this. My internship was based on developing a way of tracking greenhouse gas emissions specifically within a port setting, showcasing how young professionals can contribute to sustainability efforts through digital skills.
I learnt about the Greenhouse Gas Protocol which sets out how companies should report their emissions and sorts them into three scopes (1,2 and 3) which covers a wide range of categories, from electricity to employee commuting. When I joined, EmiTr had already been developed to calculate scope 1 and 2 emissions, and my role was to include scope 3. Scope 3 accounts for emissions that the company is not directly involved in but are still responsible for as they occur during the running of the business. This can include the manufacturing of purchased products and business travel.
EmiTr uses Excel files to collect the required data and is then loaded into Power BI where the data gets transformed. The processing requires emissions factors which are values that are used to convert raw data into emissions (in kg) associated with different activities. EmiTr clearly shows where your emissions are coming from so you can work to reduce them more effectively. As this was created with the intention of being used in a port setting, emissions can be broken down into greenhouse gases but also pollutants to include the ships themselves.
During my internship I was given different tasks which really helped to develop my Excel and Power BI skills, and I think that internships like this really highlight the importance of digital literacy for youth in today’s workforce. This included the addition of an interactive target setting page which required research into different regulations before working out how to implement this in power BI. I was given the time to understand what was being asked of me and then time to learn how to do it which I really appreciated. My time working on EmiTr exposed me to the different aspects of emissions reporting that I previously didn’t have any knowledge about.
Since completing my internship, I have transitioned to a full-time role as an Environmental Analyst at ABL Group where I am able to get involved in all aspects of ESG and sustainability. I really feel that my progression demonstrates how investing in young talent can lead to long-term benefits for both the individual and the organisation.
EmiTr is now also being used for our own internal emissions calculations which has required more planning as we work out how to expand to the global scale to include all our offices.
Emma Friend’s journey shows the significant contributions that young professionals can make when provided with the right opportunities and support. As we mark International Youth Day 2024, we understand that the future of sustainability lies in the hands of the next generation. By equipping young talent with the skills and tools they need, we not only enable them to tackle pressing global challenges but also strengthen our collective efforts to drive sustainability in energy and oceans.
At ABL Group, our dedication to empowering young professionals is rooted in our core values, discover our Engineering Development Programme designed to foster skill development and support the growth of the next generation of talent: