Sustainable IT trends in 2023
With so many changes happening in the world right now, it’s hard to know how the future of information technology will look. But there are some trends that you can see coming. The sustainable IT movement is growing rapidly, and its adoption in businesses is only going to increase.
In this blog post, we explore sustainable IT trends that we’ll see in 2023. Each of these trends is important for making a positive impact on the world as technology continues to advance at an alarming rate. Let’s take a closer look at these trends.
Hybrid workplace
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated change for businesses in many ways, one of which was the advent of hybrid workplaces. While hybrid working models aren’t the right fit for every company, where they do have the potential to work, the planet is set to benefit. Global carbon emissions fell to the lowest level ever recorded as the world dealt with the effects of the pandemic, as fewer people were travelling for work and industries were virtually shut down.
Working from home seems very 2020, but the epidemic showed a lot of companies that when done properly, employees usually achieve a lot more in terms of efficiency and productivity, along with a healthier work/life balance. Work-from-home and hybrid workplaces reduce the number of people travelling in cars and even the carbon footprint of individual businesses can be significantly reduced.
Virtual events
Research shows that putting on a three-day, 1000-person event such as a trade or presentation generates 523 tons of CO2, equivalent to burning through 1,233 barrels of oil. This included everything from attendees flying to the event and the waste generated by each person (almost 2kg per person/day).
While face-to-face meetings have great value, it is not so great for the environment and creating a sustainability-conscious event can be incredibly challenging. Even smaller events, such as workplace training or project meetings, can have a heavy impact on your organisation’s carbon emissions.
While in-person events may not be completely eliminated, immersive technology is creating opportunities for companies to embrace learning and training differently, and collaboration technology is paving the way for virtual events that are indistinguishable from the real thing.
Cloud services
Today’s business world is more aware of the need to change how it operates to reduce the impact on the global environment. The internet with cloud computing was becoming one of the most significant contributors to carbon emissions in recent years, thanks to dirty energy use. The top IT companies have taken responsibility for their role in climate change and are switching their data centres to renewable energy sources, to meet sustainability goals and set an example to others.
All of the recent cloud computing hype has shown companies that by switching to a public cloud, they can gain flexibility and scalability while simultaneously reducing costs. However, they may not be aware that the cloud not only benefits their workplace but also the environment.
Processing and managing data on local servers increases carbon emissions substantially, as traditional data hardware systems require a continuous power supply, and cooling, and use high levels of electricity (sourced from fossil fuels). Even moving basic software applications to the cloud can save hugely on power use.
Sustainable IT procurement
Your key suppliers’ full engagement is critical to your sustainability journey. Your sustainability goals can only be achieved within the supply chain if your suppliers are fully engaged and understand their role in your success.
Historically, supplier selection focused on the estimated total cost of ownership (TCO), product quality, supplier capabilities, consistency, and supplier risk. However modern business is now taking into account environmental, ethical, and social concerns when making decisions about purchasing or procuring IT goods and services. Businesses can identify and reduce the environmental impacts of their supply chains by pursuing a sustainable IT procurement strategy and seeking out suppliers who are low-impact, fair trade, or environmentally friendly.
Get ahead of the sustainable trends with the IT experts
The way we do business has changed a lot over the last decade. We’ve seen more people and businesses become empowered to make a difference and change the world.
In the future, we’re likely to see more sustainable IT trends emerge and your business can be a leader by securing the expertise of the IT consulting experts at Virtu, leaders in providing support to organisations who want to make the world a better place through sustainable initiatives.