As awareness of the social and environmental impact of business grows, executive leaders face mounting pressure to prioritize infrastructure and operational (I&O) sustainability. Despite most being aware of the importance of reducing their environmental impact, “only 18% of companies with an enterprise-wide sustainability strategy have defined sustainable IT targets.” 1
According to “Positioning I&O for Environmental Sustainability”, a recent report by Gartner® “This ambiguity can be a barrier for progress, causing reluctance from I&O teams to start or proceed due to the perception that the task is steeper than the payout. Yet, without a well-developed sustainable I&O strategy, executive leaders risk increased spend from legacy operations or carbon accounting regulations, as well as any damage to the organization’s brand through poor management of workplace infrastructure.”
To help organizations kickstart their sustainable journey and futureproof their I&O, the analyst states that “[e]xecutive leaders accountable for I&O sustainability should use this research to set clear sustainable IT goals and optimize workplace infrastructure”. The report provides actionable steps to act as a roadmap, including ‘The I&O Sustainability Model’, a framework for companies to build short-, mid- and long-term sustainable IT strategies.
Along with establishing definite milestones, managing advancements, and effectively utilizing different areas within an enterprise, the report recommends a checklist of actions to commit to I&O sustainability. It features measures such as asset usage optimization, using refurbished assets, establishing reuse and recycling policies, and working with vendors engaged in sustainability process goals and energy efficient IT suppliers.
On these points, as a company driving green IT, Evernex can help businesses more easily and cost-effectively establish their sustainable IT strategy. By partnering with our sustainable services, from third-party maintenance that extends the useful life of assets, to our refurbished hardware sales and Spare as a Service (SPaaS™) that give hardware a second life, businesses can increase the circularity of their IT equipment and consequently reduce the environmental impact of their I&O.
1 Source: Gartner, Positioning I&O for Environmental Sustainability, Autumn Stanish, 14 January 2022
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