18 Jun 2025

Driving Net Zero Innovation Through AI and Data Science: Shailaja Natarajan, Accenture

President’s Awards insights: Planet Award finalist, Shailaja Natarajan, Accenture

Shailaja Natarajan, a Senior Data Scientist at Accenture, is spearheading efforts toward a more sustainable industrial future through her leadership on Project Butterfly, an ambitious initiative aimed at helping UK manufacturing industries achieve their net zero targets through cutting-edge technology.

In collaboration with UK-based consortium partners, Shailaja played a pivotal role in developing an AI-driven digital twin model for scheduling and energy optimisation of assets. This innovation is transforming how businesses operate on the shop floor, accelerating their journey toward sustainability.

At the heart of Project Butterfly was a bold goal: to measure, reduce, and mitigate carbon emissions across key operational areas using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Shailaja’s expertise was instrumental in building a real-time data pipeline capable of accurately quantifying the carbon footprint of manufacturing assets.

This foundation enabled the development of predictive models that identified energy inefficiencies and recommended targeted improvements, placing data at the centre of sustainable decision-making.

Shailaja led a team of data scientists in designing machine learning models that analysed patterns in energy consumption and carbon emissions, integrating real-time data from IoT sensors across manufacturing sites. These insights enabled smarter, more efficient operations and delivered immediate sustainability gains.

The project wasn’t just about environmental metrics. Shailaja prioritised stakeholder engagement and scalability, ensuring the AI solutions could be adopted across similar industries.

Through hands-on workshops and interactive dashboards, she enabled leadership to visualise sustainability progress and empowered executives to make data-driven decisions aligned with net zero goals.

Project Butterfly’s tangible results speak volumes:

20% reduction in carbon emissions within 12 months.

25% increase in energy efficiency through AI-optimised manufacturing processes.

12% reduction in material waste, contributing to circular economy targets.

A strong foundation for future climate initiatives, backed by real-time, actionable data.

What sets Shailaja apart is not just her technical expertise, but her vision. Motivated by the urgency of the climate crisis and inspired by data-driven successes in other sectors, she set out to apply those same principles to sustainability. Her work bridges the gap between innovation and impact, demonstrating how digital transformation can align with global climate goals, including those outlined in the Paris Agreement.

Beyond technology, Shailaja is committed to creating a sustainable legacy — not only for organisations, but also for future generations. Her leadership in Project Butterfly has positioned her organisation as a pioneer in climate tech, offering a replicable model for others looking to harness AI and IoT for environmental good.

Through her innovation, advocacy, and results-driven leadership, Shailaja Natarajan is redefining what it means to be a data scientist in the era of climate action—turning insight into impact and helping industries move meaningfully toward a net zero future.

To read more about the techUK President's Awards, visit our page here. Winners will be announced at the techUK Annual Dinner on 1 July.

Driving Net Zero Innovation Through AI and Data Science: Shailaja Natarajan, Accenture

Read more about our President's Award finalists: