Rapid adoption of technology comes at an increasing cost to the environment
SustainableIT.org, a non-profit dedicated to advancing global sustainability through technology leadership, has released the first-ever set of standards that measure the environmental impact of building, running, and managing information technology (IT) operations.
Sustainable IT Environmental Standards 1.0 provides essential metrics and definitions for energy consumption, emissions, waste, and sourcing. These standards will help organizations consistently and accurately gauge Its environmental impact, set goals, and track progress for improving the sustainability of technology operations.
SustainableIT’s new standards include two spheres of impact and benefits: (1) “in IT,” for the direct impact of IT operations, and (2) “by IT,” for the impact from an organization’s use of IT. The individual standards are decision-support metrics tailored to technology’s impact on the environment. SustainableIT’s standards are compatible with global GRI, SASB, and TCFD standards and serve as a reference for companies to measure, improve, and report.
“We are still early in a major digital transformation cycle, where more and more business processes will be driven by IT. The continued rapid adoption of technology comes at an increasing cost to the environment and cannot go unchecked,” said Jedidiah Yueh, Founding Director of SustainableIT.org and Delphix Founder and CEO. “These standards will help IT leaders contain the environmental cost of IT, while using technology to drive more sustainable businesses and industries.”
The SustainableIT.org Standards Development and Review Committee approved the new standards. The group’s seven founding members include:
- Katherine Wetmur, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley, and elected Chair of the Standards Committee
- Brian Kirkland, CIO, Choice Hotels International
- Ivneet Kaur EVP, CTO, Sterling
- Srini Koushik, CIO, Rackspace
- Vipul Nagrath, Senior Vice President, ADP
- Niklas Sundberg, SVP/CIO Global Solutions Division, ASSA ABLOY
- Jedidiah Yueh, Founder and CEO, Delphix
SustainableIT Environmental Standards 1.0 is the first foundational tool in SustainableIT.org’s integrated portfolio of programs and resources. The organization is currently developing social and governance standards. Related resources will include self-assessments, team education, tailored workshops, and communities of practice, which will drive sustainability progress and public awareness.
In addition to the launch of its new standards, SustainableIT.org continues to grow its executive team with the recent appointment of Rick Pastore as Research Principal. Rick will focus on turning transformative ideas and goals into actionable insights and tools that can educate, inspire, engage, and advance sustainability within IT departments and their organizations.
“Rick’s in-depth knowledge and expertise in developing best practices, performance benchmarking, and transformation tools will be an invaluable asset for our mission,” said Kathryn Marston, Executive Director & General Manager, SustainableIT.org.
Prior to joining SustainableIT.org, Rick was senior director and IT research advisor for The Hackett Group, where he developed research and related tools for IT and other business leaders. He is also a former vice president of IDG’s CIO Executive Council and Executive Editor of CIO Magazine, where he worked directly with IT leaders to develop thought leadership and best practices to advance the role of the CIO.
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