The recent health crisis accelerated the transformation of working patterns and the widespread introduction of practices that have had the indirect effect of reducing CO2 emissions. What’s more, the public and their legislators are putting increasing pressure on companies to reduce their environmental impact.
During our discussions, it became very clear to us that Green IT transformation plans are almost always the initiative of a high-level manager, usually a member of the board of directors, and often based on their personal beliefs. This high level championing makes it possible to reach the whole company and to devote budgets that correspond with the importance of the subject.
The cornerstone of these plans remains the company’s ability to quantify the results of its actions. Not all initiatives generate equal value. This is partly because the many available approaches don’t all have the same impact but also because, in the absence of standards, each approach must be “tailor-made” according to the business objectives and context. Measuring what already exists and experimenting with it is essential to move towards a more responsible digital future.
Today, many companies in the industrial sector have already launched Green IT projects because the nature of their activities and the demanding regulations to which they are subject have brought this issue to the highest level. In the service sector, where IT is a major component of the business, we are seeing a certain delay, and we believe that it is up to the Chief Information Officer to initiate the process after securing the support of their peers.
Finally, we note great diversity within organisations in the way they address environmental issues, and more specifically Green IT. This makes it difficult to assess maturity and make market comparisons despite the clear desire to progress and improve. This is why support is needed to ensure that efforts and expenditure are best directed, and the strategy and implementation is consistent, to maximise the potential impact.
We remain convinced that the environmental footprint of digital technology can be significantly reduced via the various methods described throughout this guide, providing those with the greatest impact are prioritised and the right tools and processes are put in place.
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