Sustainable impact requires radical change in the world of business

Guest post by Neil Eke, CEO of Logicalis UK and Ireland

Climate change is one of the most important and widely discussed issues of our time. Yet, when it comes to identifying and implementing actual changes to help organisations be more sustainable, boardrooms can fall silent.

This could be due to the fact that some aren’t exactly sure where to start or their efforts are being stifled due to obstacles or challenges. Then again, they might be taking steps but are afraid of being accused of greenwashing, taking shortcuts (via offsetting for example), or not doing enough.

In particular, companies within the IT sector face a unique challenge in terms of getting the balance right. On the one hand, they enable sustainability efforts through measurement and digitisation. On the other, they are the worst culprits for having high energy consumption, using new equipment, and producing e-waste.

The reality is all businesses need to make sustainability a top priority. They need to openly discuss it, take immediate action and drive radical change. With prospective customers and employees asking about green credentials, it’s not just the planet that depends on their efforts but the future of their business too.

In the red

In terms of the resources that the planet has to offer, the human race is most certainly in the red – with the tech sector arguably having the biggest role to play in both reducing its impact and helping other industries to reach their sustainability goals.

As the population continues to rise and if efforts to reach climate targets fall short, the situation will only become more critical. According to the IEA Electricity 2024 report, power generation is currently the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the world. World Electricity Demand is expected to grow at a 3.4% CAAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) over the next three years. Research (The Global E-Waste Monitor 2024) has forecast that global e-waste will rise to 75 million tonnes by 2030, which is almost double the amount of e-waste produced in 2014.  The list of statistics goes on.

As if that’s not reason enough to act on sustainability, organisations are facing increasing regulatory and reporting requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Meanwhile, prospective customers and tender requests are asking providers about things such as PCF (Product Carbon Footprint) in order to aid their decision-making processes.

Providers therefore need to tailor their offerings and adapt their operations to measure their footprint, reduce their impact, meet regulations, and better align with what customers are looking for. As sustainability becomes more integrated into business operations across all industries, going green is necessary – not just desirable.

Going green

On a positive note, initial steps are being taken. According to our Logicalis 2024 CIO survey (involving 1,000 CIOs across the globe), 96% of tech leaders are already involved in their company’s overall sustainability planning and target setting, and 93% believe IT is core to successfully delivering on their organisation’s environmental objectives. So, tech leaders know investment and innovation through technology is needed to meet carbon goals.

The other element that is required is collaboration, followed by a commitment to measurement and management. Data is critical as what gets measured gets managed. Factors like carbon emissions and energy consumption need to be measured and monitored to enable continuous goal setting and reporting.  Educating all levels of the company, including leadership, is crucial to driving sustainable transformation. So too is the alignment of technology with sustainability and business strategy. After all, there are lots of ways in which technology can support green efforts, from refreshing IT networks to installing smart power monitors.

Of course, Sustainability management isn’t just about your own products, processes and practices, there is a responsibility to look outside of your organisation and make all aspects (including your supply chain) more sustainable. For example, at Logicalis, we have created a programme which allows customers to avoid e-waste. We also have the means of accessing and delivering data that helps us and clients to make decisions about their IT environments and solutions.

Hitting gold

Sustainability should be viewed as – and is – a business driver. Through a circular economy, organisations can turn value chains into value circles, lowering costs, improving operational efficiencies, and driving change. From an internal perspective, this could take the form of adapting policy and procurement processes which reduce carbon and energy output while lowering costs. For example, companies can look at deploying energy efficiency technology or adapting travel policies to focus on remote working and digital collaboration.

On a wider scale, it may be developing more energy-efficient solutions and innovative services which incorporate sustainability, thus improving green credentials, enhancing the company’s offering to its own customers, and gaining a competitive advantage. Alternatively, the business might want to embark on a Responsible Business initiative that supports sustainability in the wider community. In turn, this can also help to attract and retain talent.

Working with a trusted Sustainable IT expert can help businesses recover residual value, support circular economy initiatives, and drive innovation through sustainability. In the transition to a low carbon economy, organisations that do this well can stand out from the competition and achieve success– making their footprint, bottom line and future look a lot greener.

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