Nokia introduced a tool designed to measure the environmental and social benefits of using private networks in industrial settings, initially targeting applications in mining, manufacturing and ports industries.

The Finnish vendor stated the Private Wireless Sustainability Calculator is aimed at supporting businesses hit their “environmental and social objectives”, responding to a growing demand for “transparency” by investors.

Nokia commissioned the UK operation of accounting giant PwC to help develop the tool, which is based on the vendor’s “extensive experience” in deploying private networks for more than 760 industrial clients worldwide.

The RAN vendor believes solutions based on private wireless such as drones, digital twins and IoT can contribute to sustainability gains, citing research which found 79 per cent of surveyed enterprises saw “a 10 per cent or greater” reduction in carbon emissions after deploying private networks.

Nokia added the tool “offers enterprises vital findings and insights to improve their business, from improved operational efficiencies, worker health and safety, potential reductions in costs and environmental footprint”.

“Our new Private Wireless Sustainability Calculator is the first of its kind, showing our private wireless networks can help businesses be more environmentally friendly. It’s a strong step towards quantifying what Nokia believes in, that there is no green without digital,” said Subho Mukherjee, VP of sustainability at Nokia.