Paper-to-Digital Can Drive Sustainability at Scale

Adobe developed the Portable Document Format (PDF) in 1993 as a way for users to easily create and present visually-rich documents, regardless of their device. The invention was one of the biggest steps toward the “paperless office,” perhaps second to computers.

The use of digital technology in the workplace is more effective and productive, while also being more environmentally-friendly.

Paperless Productivity

There’s greater focus on sustainability as companies evaluate their environmental impact, especially in the hybrid world of work. An Adobe study of U.S. workers found that 57 percent believe paper consumption is the biggest contributor to their employer’s environmental impact.

PDF has been around for 30 years, so you’d think that most organizations have already sunset their paperless offices. Adobe Future of Digital Work Study shows that almost one-third of all technology leaders are still using paper for about 50% of their tasks.

Cloud-based technology can reduce the amount of paper used and also other resources-intensive tasks. A salesperson can close a deal using cloud-based software without having to print a contract, present a PowerPoint presentation, get on a plane or drive a rental vehicle. This is something I witness every day in our customer’s lives. Adobe Acrobat is used to securely convert the slides and save them in PDF format. They can then send and track those slides via email. Adobe Acrobat allows them to share contracts, allowing both parties to work together on terms and edit and comment directly within the PDF.

Acrobat Sign allows our customers to archive and share contracts once terms have been agreed. Additionally, with the Acrobat Sign integration with Microsoft Power Automate, our customers’ sales teams can automate the entire workflow using a simple drag-and-drop system to set up automated and customized e-signature workflows for their contract—no coding experience required.  

This example also demonstrates how digital documents and e-signatures can significantly increase sustainability—and productivity—by removing paper from the equation. PUMA, a footwear brand with 1,200 employees at its headquarters, handles 500 contracts per year. PUMA was able to reduce the amount of paper used to manage its contracts by using Adobe Acrobat Sign. The company was able to reduce the contract process from several days down to just a few short hours, saving thousands of sheets and reducing CO2 emissions.

Sustainability on a Scale

Weaknesses in sustainability can come from a variety of sources, including cost, size or scope. Our study found that one out of five employees believes their company is going to spend at least a $1 million on sustainable alternatives in the coming years.

Paper-to-digital conversion can assist companies in scaling up their sustainability initiatives. Documents created, signed and shared with Acrobat reduce environmental impact by 95% compared to paper-based methods. Adobe Acrobat solutions for document management and eSignatures transform 30 billion documents from paper into digital workflows every year. This saves the U.S. equivalent of 2,7 billion pounds in greenhouse gas emissions, 3,2 billion gallons or water, 1,1 billon pounds of wood and waste, as well as 1.1 gigawatt hours of electricity.

Each organization should consider digital document management as part of a larger sustainability strategy. ITV is the UK’s largest commercial TV network. It has set a target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and zero waste. ITV automated its document process by using Adobe Document Cloud and electronic signatures. More than 800 staff members saved 3.4 millions pieces of paper per year by switching to Adobe Document Cloud. ITV was also able meet its quick-turn requests, and be productive despite the production challenges.

Adobe was a pioneer in the digitalization of paper documents 30 years ago, with its PDF format. We’re committed to continuing our mission with the guiding principle of scaling our impact by enabling our global customers to meet their sustainability goals through our products. Adobe Document Cloud has processed over 8 billion transactions involving electronic and digital signing in just the past 12 months.

Learn how to make your business more sustainable by saving time, resources, emissions, and costs—as well as provide data and benchmarks for sustainability initiatives—through our free calculators that estimate the environmental savings that come with using Acrobat digital document products.