Sustainable IT Provision: Meeting the Challenge of Corporate, Social, and

Sustainable IT Provision: Meeting the Challenge of Corporate, Social, and Environmental Responsibility

Published Date: December 2007

Published By: Butler Group

Page Count: 168

Order Code: R663-23

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Corporate, Social, and Environmental Responsibility (CSER) has become a significant issue for every enterprise, and is particularly pertinent for IT management which must focus on supporting the requirements of the organisation in this area. The challenges of meeting these responsibilities have brought into sharp focus the need for IT to be more proactive, along with including the required capabilities into IT strategy and governance procedures. A more responsible agenda requires longer-term planning, and also brings new disciplines which potentially conflict with existing IT management goals.

There is a need for the IT manager to look beyond the ‘Green’ marketing hype of the vendors and get to grips with the environmental challenges being faced by the organisation and the IT industry. In the past, most organisations have paid little regard to the environmental aspects of the equipment they use, or the way resources are consumed. Now, sustainability issues are becoming an important consideration for IT.

KEY FINDINGS

IT management has an opportunity to take the lead by being proactive in supporting the sustainability objectives of the organisation.
When looking to improve sustainability in the data centre there are three main areas of focus - hardware, software, and buildings.
An environmentally-friendly approach is a win/win for IT, creating a more effective operation and reducing costs.
The four R’s of reduce, reuse, recycle, and re-engineer should form the core of responsible IT provision.
Measurement and monitoring are the first important steps to gaining transparency and an understanding of the environmental issues that need to be addressed.
Whilst not given the highest of profiles in a Green agenda, effective asset management is a must.
The adoption of consolidation and virtualisation will produce a more efficient and flexible IT operation.
Power consumption is a very important consideration for the IT manager, as is the use of renewable energy.
Service providers can supply established practises and expertise in data centre efficiency improvement.