CASE STUDY should monitor them closely. Of course, as with any emerging technology it is best to focus on partnerships with providers who can demonstrate and prove measurable sustainability improvements.
Overall, sustainability is a key factor in how we evaluate new products and solutions, especially SaaS solutions. We explicitly request information about energy sourcing to ensure alignment with our zero-emission goals; we evaluate technologies based on their energy efficiency, carbon footprint, sourcing background and contribution to our overall sustainability objectives. This evaluation has become an integral part of procurement and technology selection processes, adding to traditional criteria like performance, security, and cost. Incorporating green technology will therefore not force CIOs to compromise on performance or scalability.
How do you build successful integration – and where does culture come into this?
I think it is also important to recognise that sustainability strategies have a cultural dimension, especially in global organisations where they are such a fundamental part of overall business operations. My observation is that many team members are deeply committed to reducing the environmental impact of their work. They genuinely care about our planet’ s future. This intrinsic motivation means that incorporating sustainability measures into IT strategies is generally well-received and enthusiastically supported at every level. This culture should be nurtured by celebrating sustainability wins and making environmental impact a visible metric in IT projects.
What are the best ways to measure impact?
Within the original question is a specific reference to measurable impact, which I want to address. Everything in IT should be measurable, since our world consists of data. So, every CIO should measure energy consumption no matter what. Add energy consumption to your standard reporting dashboard, alongside your metrics for uptime, cost, availability and maintainability. I think you’ ll be surprised by what you learn. This data provides the foundation for identifying opportunities, setting priorities and measuring progress. Without measurement, sustainability initiatives, like all new initiatives, will lack direction and accountability.
How can green technology improve business performance
Whilst I have covered the integration of green technology into IT strategy, it is important to note how sustainability strategies also create opportunities for IT to innovate and improve business performance beyond managing direct IT-related energy costs. As CIO of a logistics company, a key role for IT is to improve fuel consumption and reduce the emissions of our operations.
The clearest way is through route optimisation; real time data and machine learning are combined, to predict shipping volumes, plan delivery routes based on multiple variables such as volume, distance, impact of priority deliveries and vehicle emission profiles. This is something we have been doing for years in our operations. Now we are applying advanced data analytics to create apps that guide pilots how to taxi the aircraft and how to trim the rudder to achieve significant reduction in jet fuel consumption and emissions. I believe all CIOs, regardless of sector, can find their own ways to make sustainability a performance accelerator.
What can we look forward to on the horizon?
I think most CIOs would agree that the environmental cost of AI solutions will increasingly dominate our strategic thinking and planning. These solutions come with significant implications – not only financial costs but substantial energy demands. We will most likely hear growing concerns about these impacts as awareness spreads. Currently, excitement about AI opportunities often overshadow the discussion of the massive data centers, and their considerable energy requirements.
The more this discussion develops, the more we will also get into physical environmental issues, not just economic ones. Countries where energy costs are lower and where the climate is cooler will be featured more often in conversations about green technology and IT. The media hasn’ t fully addressed this reality yet, but the debate will inevitably shift toward balancing innovation with environmental responsibility at a global level. p
I THINK MOST CIOS
WOULD AGREE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF AI SOLUTIONS WILL INCREASINGLY DOMINATE OUR STRATEGIC THINKING
AND PLANNING.
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