With adessoGPT, ZAKB makes knowledge easily accessible

ZAKB – Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft Kreis Bergstraße

Initial situation

The municipal waste disposal company ZAKB (Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft Kreis Bergstraße) wanted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) where it creates real added value: in internal knowledge management. Together with adesso, the association developed a secure, data protection-compliant platform based on the modular adessoGPT system. Today, employees use a chatbot to access company-specific information – quickly, efficiently and tailored to their respective roles and tasks.

With adessoGPT, we can make efficient use of our internal knowledge. The solution helps us to cope with increasing complexity and keep fee-related costs stable for the benefit of our customers.
Sascha Bocksnick I Managing Director I ZAKB

Background

As a municipal waste disposal company, ZAKB has been responsible for the collection, recycling and disposal of waste in 22 municipalities for over 20 years. Together with its subsidiary, ZAKB operates numerous facilities and supplies households with energy from renewable sources. Around 290 employees spread across several locations ensure smooth operations. In order to optimise the complex processes behind this, ZAKB wanted to integrate AI into the everyday work of its employees.

Challenge

The ZAKB planned to use AI specifically where it creates real added value: in internal knowledge management. The aim was to optimise business processes and make informed decisions by facilitating access to internal company information. Independent use of freely available AI tools by employees was out of the question. The risk of data protection violations, data leaks or reputational damage due to misuse is too great. ZAKB therefore sought a solution that combines data security with efficiency.

Solution

The adessoGPT, designed according to the modular construction principle, meets the requirements of the ZAKB. The platform was tailored precisely to the individual requirements of the ZAKB. It runs on Azure Services and processes data in such a way that it remains entirely with the customer: information entered via prompt remains in the customer environment and is neither forwarded to the provider OpenAI nor made publicly available as part of a web search. The front end is based on familiar chatbot interfaces and has been fully integrated into the ZAKB's corporate design.

At its core, adessoGPT accesses internal data from the ZAKB's SharePoint Online. Identity and access management (IAM) ensures that only authorised persons can access the respective content. An integrated feedback loop enables employees to correct incorrect results – thus, the solution is continuously improved through human knowledge.

Benefits and outlook

Shortly after going live, adessoGPT became the central entry point for information searches at ZAKB. Searches on the intranet are increasingly being replaced by specific questions to the chatbot. The solution is available to all employees with PC access and is used across departments – especially where internal information needs to be accessed frequently.

ZAKB plans to continuously expand the platform. New use cases and areas of application are already being examined. In a joint workshop, ZAKB and adesso want to identify further potential – in the future, also for use in the waste disposal company's external operations.

As a municipal waste disposal company, ZAKB has been collecting, recycling and disposing of all waste from private households in the Bergstraße district of Hesse since 2002. Together with its subsidiary, ZAKB Energie und Dienstleistungs GmbH, ZAKB employs around 290 people and operates numerous facilities at several locations in the region – from a waste management centre to recycling centres and collection points to an energy park. By using solar energy, biomass and landfill gas, ZAKB supplies several hundred households with heat and electricity from renewable energies every year. In this way, the association is making a significant contribution to the energy transition in the Bergstraße district.