Software as a Service (SaaS) has transformed the way we work, share data, and communicate. It means that we need fewer programs installed on our computers, and can access our data and services from more devices.
As technology evolves and organisations become more global and complex, SaaS gives people access to the data they need, wherever they are. Sustainability, supply chain and ESG data is becoming more and more important in the corporate world and, as reporting requirements continuously evolve, the importance of accurate, secure and accessible data is crucial.
Greenstone has been providing SaaS solutions for 15 years. Our solutions are built to evolve with our clients’ requirements for now and in the future. In this blog, we aim to uncover what SaaS is, and the advantages it has over other software delivery options.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
Software as a Service is a method of software delivery that enables data to be available from any device with a web browser, rather than installed locally to run on PCs or networks.
SaaS is typically licensed through an annual subscription model, and is owned, maintained and delivered by the software provider, rather than hosted on a client’s premises. This means software providers host and maintain the servers, databases and code that sit behind the software. For the buyer, this means the cost can be spread over time with no maintenance or IT involvement, making adoption and ongoing use easy and straightforward.
Advantages of Software as a Service (SaaS)
Updates: With the software housed on a cloud-based server, it can be upgraded centrally, rather than the traditional model where the software would need to be upgraded on each machine. This means SaaS can be maintained with the latest version of the software at all times.
Hardware: With the software run on a server, individual PCs do not need to be upgraded for hardware requirements, and there are no issues with not meeting minimum specs.
Cost: With a subscription model, the cost of software can be spread over time and, as it is hosted in the cloud, the upfront implementation costs are significantly lower than with more traditional methods.
Quick deployment: As the software does not need to be installed and configured on individual machines, SaaS can be much more rapidly deployed.
Accessibility: Gaining access to SaaS just requires a browser and an internet connection, allowing users to be able to log in from anywhere. As well as this, the user’s data is stored in the cloud, and not tied to an individual user’s PC, facilitating collaboration with other users.
Data security: All credible SaaS providers invest a huge amount in security, backups and maintenance. For this reason, a web-based system typically has more security measures in place than an on-premises system. SaaS providers regularly undergo stringent security procedure audits that test the data centre’s level of security. The chances are an individual IT department within may not hold themselves to the same standards.
Sustainability, Supply Chain and ESG SaaS software
In the sustainability, supply chain and ESG software sectors, there are few enterprise SaaS solutions that can scale as the requirements of reporting organisations evolve.
Greenstone’s SaaS software solutions are built to evolve with its clients’ requirements for now and in the future. We understand that an organisation’s data management and reporting requirements may be very different in even a years’ time and we build our software with this in mind.
“At Fujitsu we take our environmental responsibilities seriously and our long-standing partnership with Greenstone, and its software, has enabled us to report and evolve our non-financial reporting with accuracy and confidence.“
Juliet Silvester, Head of Responsible Business at Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of IT-based business solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 130,000 employees supporting customers in 180 countries, Fujitsu is one of the world’s largest IT service companies.
Since 2008, Fujitsu has used Greenstone’s software solutions and supporting services to collect, manage, monitor and reporting environment and ESG data across its global business.
The data captured from the 400 Fujitsu sites is used to report emissions centrally to the Fujitsu Headquarters in Japan. This data forms the basis of the emissions reporting included in Fujitsu Group’s annual Environmental report and other reporting such as CDP, Business in the Community, GRI and ISO 26000. Fujitsu has been included on the prestigious CDP ‘A List’ since 2017.
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