CGI and Project Seagrass release new open-source algorithm to help mitigate climate change

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Mar 01, 2023, 06:30 ET

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LONDON, March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - As part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, CGI (NYSE: GIB) (TSX: GIB.A) has partnered with Project Seagrass, a global charity devoted to seagrass conservation, to develop an open-source algorithm that helps locate, quantify and track seagrass meadows initially across the UK region. The new algorithm launches today, the United Nation's first-ever World Seagrass Day.

CGI and Project Seagrass have developed the algorithm to support academic and government plans for protecting vital seagrass ecosystems, which, in turn, help to mitigate climate change.

Tara McGeehan, President of CGI in the UK and Australia, said: "At CGI, we support the no planet B initiative. As such, we are consciously trying to support our planet and its resources to protect future generations. By leveraging our IP, and through our pro-bono collaboration with Project Seagrass, the development of an open-source algorithm has been an important milestone for us. We now hope to continue to work to enhance the algorithm in partnership with open-source community organizations, academia, and government."

The open-source algorithm is designed to pinpoint and quantify seagrass meadows as part of CGI's proprietary CGI GeoData360 Earth observation data processing platform, which leverages data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Copernicus Satellite Earth Observation Mission and processes it via the seagrass identification algorithm. The CGI GeoData360 platform and the ESA Earth observation imagery can be trained to create new algorithms which could be used to deliver seagrass identifications anywhere in the world with access to relevant data.

CGI and Project Seagrass have released the latest version of the open-source algorithm to enable community collaboration and continued development of the algorithm.

Richard Unsworth, Founding Director of Project Seagrass, said: "By working in partnership with CGI, we've been able to make good progress on mapping at a local level. We are pleased to now open-source our work and look forward to the collaboration this release stimulates, as well as input from others to help enhance the algorithm and ensure the data is correct. It's a pleasure working with this professional team. By working together, we can secure a better future for all."

CGI and Project Seagrass are committed to encouraging academic organizations, environmentalists, and governments across the UK to learn about the incredible role seagrass plays in protecting our planet. Seagrass acts as a powerful carbon sink, a natural resource that absorbs carbon, with the potential to lock carbon away for thousands of years. However, seagrass meadows are under threat from coastal development, pollution, and damage from human activity within marine environments. Seagrass also acts as a nursery for young fish and other animals, thus increasing the biodiversity and food supply of our coastal waters. Understanding where seagrass is located is critical to conservation efforts, enabling local policy and conservation teams to collaborate in preserving this important natural resource.

As part of its ESG commitment, CGI collaborates with clients, academia, governments, and charities across the globe to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of communities and their citizens. For more information, read CGI's 2022 ESG report.

About CGI

Founded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 90,250 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2022 reported revenue is $12.87 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com.

ABOUT PROJECT SEAGRASS

Founded in 2013, Project Seagrass is an environmental charity devoted to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems through community, research and action. Their mission is to lead societal change to enable the recognition, recovery and resilience of seagrass ecosystems globally: that provide biodiversity, equitable and sustainable livelihoods, and planetary life support.

SOURCE CGI Inc.