About ERM: Global Leaders in Sustainability

ERM is a premier global consultancy specialising in sustainability, environmental strategy, and corporate responsibility. With decades of experience and a diverse portfolio of projects, ERM provides innovative solutions to help organisations worldwide address their environmental challenges and achieve their sustainability goals.

The Challenge: Enabling Secure and Scalable Access for Carbon Modelling

For one of their carbon footprinting projects, ERM relied on detailed Excel models for complex calculations and data analysis. While effective for internal processes, these models were difficult to share at scale online, lacked robust user access control, and required a solution that would streamline collaborative workflows without compromising the integrity or flexibility of the models.

ERM sought a web-based application to:

  • Facilitate controlled access for different users and stakeholders.
  • Enable scalable usage across teams and locations.
  • Streamline data sharing, ensuring seamless integration with the existing Excel-based workflow.

Without such a solution, the project risked inefficiencies, potential security vulnerabilities, and limited scalability.

Why ERM Chose Si Novi: Collaboration and Technical Excellence

Si Novi was selected for their proven expertise in converting complex models into scalable web applications and their collaborative approach to development. ERM valued Si Novi's ability to:

  • Reverse-engineer intricate Excel models while preserving accuracy.
  • Develop scalable, user-friendly web applications tailored to business needs.
  • Work iteratively and collaboratively with ERM's team, ensuring alignment with the project's goals at every stage.

A Secure and Scalable Foundation on AWS

AWS was chosen as the platform for its ability to deliver scalability, reliability, and robust security for web-baed applications. Key AWS features leveraged included:

  • Global infrastructure for high availability and accessibility.
  • Security features to protect sensitive data and intellectual property.
  • Future-proof capabilities for seamless integration with additional services as needs evolved.

The Solution: A Scalable Web Application to Enhance Workflows

Si Novi developed a bespoke web-based application to complement and scale ERM's existing carbon footprinting project. The project began with a scoping session at ERM's London office to align all stakeholders, followed by agile development sprints where feedback was continuously incorporated.

Key features of the application included:

  • Scalable User Access: Secure authentication and user management allowed ERM to grant or revoke access easily.
  • Data Sharing Integration: The application was designed to seamlessly share data derived from Excel models, without disrupting existing workflows.
  • Enhanced Security: Proprietary calculations and data were protected within backend systems, accessible only through the application's API.
  • Offline Integration: Export features enabled users to generate PDF and Excel reports for offline sharing.

In order to bring engaging branding and effective user experience to the application, Si Novi collaborated with one of our design partners to ensure the platform's look and feel aligned with the required corporate identity guidelines.

The application extended the capabilities of ERM's existing tools, enabling wider access and collaboration while maintaining the accuracy and reliability of their established methodologies.

Results and Benefits: Scaling Carbon Footprinting Efficiently

The new web application provided ERM with a secure and scalable platform to enhance their carbon footprinting project. Key benefits included:

  • Scalable Collaboration: Teams across locations could now access and collaborate on the project effortlessly.
  • Enhanced Security: Intellectual property was safeguarded through controlled access and backend-only logic.
  • Streamlined Workflows: The integration of Excel models with the web app ensured data continuity while enabling efficient sharing and reporting.
  • Future-Proofing: The AWS-powered platform provided a foundation for potential expansions and additional integrations.
Si Novi's understanding of the data and the requirements for the tool based on the existing carbon footprint model was beyond expectation.
Bryan Hartlin, Partner, Sustainability Strategy
Environmental Resources Management

About Si Novi: Your Partner in Digital Transformation

Si Novi specialises in creating bespoke web and cloud applications that complement and scale existing workflows. As an AWS specialist, Si Novi combines technical expertise with a collaborative approach to help organisations like ERM achieve their project goals efficiently and securely.