Greening Your Code: How Sustainable IT is Shaping the Future of Business

What is Sustainable IT?

Green IT or sustainable IT refers to the practice of manufacturing, using, managing and disposing information technology in a way that minimize its environmental impact. It also aligns with the broader ESG criteria, playing a pivotal role in overall sustainability strategy.

Why is Sustainable IT important?

We can address this question more effectively by examine key statistics that reveal ESG imbalances in IT industry.

1. Environmental impact: IT sector is responsible for approximately 2-4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the levels comparable to aviation industry
2. Energy consumption: Data centres alone consume about 2% of the world’s total energy with estimates predicting could rise to 8% by 2030 if not managed sustainably.
3. Waste generation: In 2023, the global electronic waste reached 53.6 million metric tons, with only 17.4% recycled properly.
4. Diversity and inclusion: Tech industry remains disproportionately male, with women making up only about 28% of the global tech workforce.
5. ESG risks and reporting: A recent survey indicate that only 24% of companies within tech industry have a formal strategy to address ESG risks and only about 32% of tech companies disclose their sustainability efforts. Source: ERM

Implementing Sustainable IT in your organisation

1. Optimise energy use in data centres: Modern data centers are energy hungry. Moving to cloud, adopting energy efficient hardware and using AI to optimize server loads can drastically reduce energy use. Consider using cloud service providers with a strong affinity towards renewable energy sources.
2. Go digital, but go lean: Promote remote work and digital collaboration to no only reduce travel emissions but also improve employee work-life balance. Focus on minimising unnecessary data. Audit your digital footprint – how much data is being stored that’s not really needed? Implement a data lifecycle management system to purge outdated or irrelevant information and free up resources.
3. Circular IT and e-waste management: IT equipment especially servers, laptops, mobile devices can have short life span, leading to excessive e-waste. Employe a circular economy model to prolong hardware life and reuse as much as possible or select refurbished hardware. Evaluate proper recycling methods for electronic waste – initiate an e-waste recycling program.
4. Green software development: Sustainable It is not only about hardware, it’s also about writing energy-efficient code. Poorly optimised software use more resources and waste a lot of energy. Encourage your teams to adopt green coding principles that helps reduce computation power without sacrificing functionality.
5. Virtualisation and cloud computing: Embrace virtualisation, migrate to cloud services that are powered by renewable energy sources.

Sustainable IT – The future

AI-driven energy management, edge computing, quantum computing are set to revolutionise the sustainability landscape. Tech industry is heavily investing to find ways to become more eco-friendly with advancements like bio-based computer components and biodegradable electronics. By embracing sustainable IT, your business is not only contributing to a healthier planet and happier people but also gain a competitive advantage. Companies that prioritise sustainability are increasingly attracting top talent, secure impact investments and position themselves as leaders in the marketplace. Sustainable IT is no longer an option – it’s a necessity. Take a leap today and start greening your code for a more sustainable tomorrow.

As a certified Green IT Professional, I can help you with this transition. If you are unsure about where to start or how to transition towards greener practices, I’ve got you covered ! Reach out to me at siva@partnerconsult.dk and together we’ll create a smarter, eco-friendly tech strategy that align with your business goals.