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shipped direct to the factory location before any emergency repairs are necessary because we can see the
exact remaining lifespan of every part of the factory…it leads to minimal downtime”.

The future potential of exploring greater links between DTs and the SDGs was also explored by Participant
U who stated:

“There are significant opportunities to explore the integration of DTs and sustainable initiatives…heat from
large data exchanges could be re-directed to provide heating for housing estates”.

Participant U went on to discuss how the adoption of DT technology would allow simulations to evidence
how an increase in stakeholder collaboration would lead to the realisation of sustainability benefits, and how
the DT would allow real time performance mapping. This need for collaboration also echoes calls raised in
the literature for more stakeholder collaboration in achieving broader industry targets [10-12] .

Analysis of the findings indicates that adopting DT technology will support collaborative approaches, with
the SDGs then more likely to be achieved. These findings build on the calls in the literature for more
[25]
practical solutions to addressing the links between SDG and technology use . This research find that with a
government backed cohesive strategy underpinning a collaborative drive across DT adoption and SDGs
action, mechanisms can be put in place to strengthen the cross-discipline collaboration. It is this
collaboration that will drive forward DT adoption and enable the SDGs to be achieved, resulting in a
reduction in global carbon footprints.

The need for both DT policy and procurement
The literature illustrates the evolution of procurement criteria from primarily a time, cost, and quality focus,
to one embracing broader factors such as social value and sustainability based criterion . Analysis of the
[13]
interview results reinforces this as all interview participants confirmed that all public sector procurement
requirements, and increasingly private sector procurement, have sustainability based questions as part of the
tender requirements. When this was explored further, it was revealed that broader organisational
sustainability practices were often the direct result of procurement requirements. This is illustrated by
Participant X:

“We have an organisational wide tree planting policy as part of our sustainable identify…this was first
proposed as part of a specific tender. We were successful…and the initiative stuck [after the tendered
project had been completed] …and we still do it now”.

Participant H also confirmed the positive impact procurement proposals often have on broader
organisational strategy:

“A few years ago we tendered to get on a framework…we would have implemented the strategies
eventually, but the framework forced us to move quickly…sensor lighting, our recycling policy…electric
change points, we had to have these very specific inclusions in our strategy in order to get on the framework
and we didn’t have them before [we bid for the framework].

It was not simply the benefits of procurement criteria for driving change that became apparent in the
interview analysis, but the mandating of policy and practices from a government level. Participant V
believed: