CIOs/IT Head’s being part of board and manage huge investment of corporate budget in technology play a crucial role in driving their organizations towards Net Zero carbon emissions. Here are 7 detailed strategies that IT, BRM, CTO and technology heads can implement to contribute to NetZero Strategy:
- Optimize Data Centers
- Sustainable IT Procurement
- Promote Remote Work
- Implement Green Software Development
- Leverage Data and Analytics
- Engage in Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Adopt Renewable Energy
- Optimize Data Centers
Shift to Cloud Computing: Migrating to cloud services can significantly reduce carbon footprints as cloud providers often use more energy-efficient infrastructure and renewable energy sources. Understand application which are best suitable for cloud and host them accordingly. Hardware to be designed to deliver maximum performance per watt of energy use.
Improve Energy Efficiency: Use virtualization to reduce the number of physical servers, Implement energy-efficient cooling systems and adopt energy management software to monitor and optimize energy use.
Check cloud ESG credits by Cloud Service Provider for hosting application in cloud.
- Sustainable IT Procurement
Green Procurement Policies: Partner with suppliers who support NetZero and energy efficient hardware and this to be prioritize by purchasing department and devices with lower environmental impact. Look for certifications like Energy Star or EPEAT. Always look for HW vendors, OEM and suppliers that have strategy on NetZero and carbon reduction blueprint and make sure they are on your vendor database.
Lifecycle Management: Many IT devices have a relatively short lifespan, leading to frequent replacements and increased e-waste. The carbon emissions from manufacturing and disposing of these devices add up over time. Instead of scrapping usable assets, consider refurbishing and reusing them. Refurbished equipment can perform well and extend the lifespan of IT assets, reducing the need for new purchases.
Extend the lifecycle of IT equipment through maintenance and upgrades. For example instead of 3 years life of Laptop look for 4+ years and high end server, workstation to 5+years. Always select vendor/OEM who can support hardware maintenance of its part for 5+ years to ensure maximum asset utilization until its die or fit of purpose.
Ensure proper recycling and disposal of e-waste once it declared end of life to proper authorised recycler so that they dispose the asset with minimum destruction to environment. Always take proper disposal certificate to take carbon credits.
- Promote Remote Work
Virtual Collaboration Tools: Encourage the use of video conferencing and collaboration tools to reduce the need for travel and F2F meetings, thereby cutting down on travel-related emissions. MS Teams, Zoom etc.
Flexible Work Policies: Implement policies that support remote work, reducing the carbon footprint associated with commuting.
- Implement Green Software Development
Energy-Efficient Coding: Develop software that is optimized for energy efficiency, reducing the computational power required and thus the energy consumption.
Some of Example developers can consider as best coding practice.
- More efficient sorting algorithms can reduce CPU usage.
- Reduce the number of iterations in loops and avoid deep recursion to save processing power.
- Use memory efficiently by avoiding memory leaks and unnecessary memory allocations.
- Use concurrent programming techniques to make better use of multi-core processors, reducing the time the CPU’s.
- Energy Profiling Tools: Use tools like Intel’s VTune, ARM’s Streamline, or software energy profilers to measure the energy consumption of your code.
- Leverage Data and Analytics
Carbon Footprint Tracking: Use data analytics to measure and monitor the carbon footprint of IT operations. This can help in identifying areas for improvement and tracking progress towards Net Zero goals.
- Ensure all monitors and devices have idle / sleep mode enabled to save power and batteries by deploying power management policies.
- Energy star efficient monitors are procured.
- Implement predictive analytics to optimize energy use in data center, server rooms and other IT infrastructure.
- Engage in Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work with Sustainability Teams: Collaborate with other departments to integrate IT strategies with broader sustainability initiatives. This ensures a cohesive approach to achieving Net Zero targets.
Educate and Train Staff: Promote awareness and provide training on sustainable practices within the IT department and across the organization³.
E.g.:-
- Switch off monitor when not used.
- Always shutdown IT devices/laptop after end of day.
- Ensure vendors have Net zero / carbon emition initiatives on top of their strategy.
- Adopt Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy Sources: Transition to renewable energy sources for powering data centers and other IT infrastructure. This can include solar, wind, or other renewable energy options¹.
Energy Purchase Agreements: Enter into power purchase agreements (PPAs) to secure renewable energy for IT operations¹.
Above are few of measure which CIO can consider in their IT Strategy roadmap that can significantly contribute to their organization’s Net Zero carbon emissions goals, driving both environmental and business benefits.
