Amid the global movement for action on climate change, sustainability credentials are moving from a 'nice-to-have' to a 'need-to-have', and the role of technology in driving sustainable innovation is in greater focus than ever before. It has been.
Integrating sustainable practices not only creates commercial benefits including cost savings, brand enhancement and long-term viability, but also has a direct impact on talent attraction. Logicalis' 2023 Global CIO Survey found that 84% of employees prefer companies that prioritize environmental stewardship. The same study also confirmed that 92% of CIOs see a clear link between their ESG, sustainability, and corporate value, confirming the importance of sustainability in the area of IT leadership. It is emphasized that it is of increasing importance.
Technology is central to any company's ability to execute its ESG strategy. From deploying renewable energy sources and optimizing data centers to deploying smart building systems and facilitating remote work, the right technology-driven initiatives can reduce carbon emissions while increasing productivity and cost savings. can be significantly reduced.
In this context, companies are recognizing the pressing need for environmental management and are increasingly turning to technology leaders for cutting-edge sustainable solutions.
Chief Technology Officer of Logicalis.
Unlocking potential: leveraging technology for sustainable solutions
In this dynamic context, decision makers can leverage digital technologies to significantly reduce carbon emissions and make significant progress towards achieving sustainability goals. Technology is now seen not only as a tool but also as a focus for promoting greener operations.
Technology-driven sustainability
Technology is a critical force in sustainable transformation, providing tools to make informed data-driven decisions, optimize resource utilization, and devise innovative solutions to combat environmental challenges. to organizations and leaders.
A key driver of sustainable innovation is technology-facilitated resource use and enhanced access to carbon emissions data. Data plays a key role in identifying opportunities for improvement and setting measurable goals. However, our research highlights a persistent challenge faced by many CIOs, with 75% expressing a need for help unlocking transformative data.
Smart buildings that leverage Internet of Things (IoT) technology provide another example of how organizations can become more sustainable. These buildings utilize sensors to monitor office occupancy levels and adapt heating and lighting systems to optimize energy use. Through the integration of various technologies, smart buildings can not only adjust output based on occupancy, but also generate real-time performance data that operators can review.
Business travel emissions are also rebounding as in-person meetings and networking increase again. Taking COP26 as a case study, the two-week summit produced an estimated 102,500 tonnes of CO2, 60% of which came from international flights, according to the Arup report. Recognizing the significant impact on Scope 3 emissions, companies including us have introduced sustainable travel policies that encourage low-carbon alternatives to commuting. Our recent partnership with RouteZero, a global travel platform using machine learning technology, enables our employees to do maximum calculations. We offer sustainable ways to travel and strengthen our commitment to green choices.
Improving sustainability through technology management
There is no doubt that technology is a huge enabler providing solutions and suggestions to make business more sustainable, but the technology we use needs to be managed more sustainably.
As the world's dependence on technology increases, so too do carbon emissions from IT. The European Commission is expecting a significant increase, predicting that data centers will contribute 3.2% of the EU's electricity demand by 2030, up from 2.7% in 2018. This highlights the important role that hardware efficiency and sustainable power sources play in shaping an organization's carbon footprint. Footprints.
Energy consumption is just one aspect to consider when investing in technology. Forward-thinking business leaders strategically reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of IT operations by adopting practices such as reusing and repurposing IT equipment rather than scrapping it. can do. Taking it a step further, responsible recycling and disposal of used hardware e-waste will become a mandatory action, effectively eliminating unnecessary carbon emissions associated with the traditional practice of sending technology to landfills. In this technology-driven era, a holistic and green approach is crucial for sustainable and responsible technology advancement.
Build a greener trajectory
No meaningful progress can be achieved in isolation, especially when it comes to carbon reduction. Technology is opening the door to building a greener society. However, relying on technology alone is not a silver bullet, as businesses need to collaborate and partner to tackle climate change. Effectively addressing climate change requires a collective effort.
According to IDC's 2024 forecast, 40% of ESG service contracts will require a managed services component to better address the long-term nature and high-volume data needs of sustainable transformation and ESG reporting, allowing organizations to You will be able to reduce your carbon footprint, not just across departments. But across the business. By intentionally choosing technologies that drive business value, adopting more sustainable methods for powering technology, and practicing knowledge sharing within organizations, we can help the technology community improve sustainable technologies in all areas. Driven towards progress.
At the intersection of technology and sustainability, we see a unique opportunity to create meaningful change that impacts business and the global community. Technology serves as both a means and an end in our efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
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