Sustainability is back on the agenda for IT companies after declining in priority in 2022 and 2023 according to the recent Channel Trends Report from Agilitas IT Solutions. Although based on a survey of UK channel companies, it is of relevance to Ireland.
Businesses are moving away from carbon offsetting, and shifting toward direct carbon reduction strategies. In 2022, a third of companies invested in offsetting, but that number has now dropped to less than a quarter. Instead, 36% have implemented initiatives to reduce energy consumption, such as streamlining processes, adopting remote and hybrid work models, and working with eco-friendly suppliers. Another 37% plan to introduce similar strategies in the next year, though over a quarter have yet to prioritise carbon reduction.
When surveyed, three-quarters of companies rated sustainability a 7 out of 10 in importance. However, there is a divide in priorities across different roles—only 8% of junior managers see sustainability as a high priority, whereas over half of CEOs and business owners do. This makes sense, as junior managers focus on daily operations while executives drive strategic policy changes. Some might argue that leadership interest is driven by the desire to appear sustainable rather than make real change, but even if sustainability becomes synonymous with business protection, the outcome remains positive.
Awareness of sustainability’s importance is growing, especially among younger professionals. Over 50% of respondents across all age groups believe it will impact the IT channel in the next year, including a striking 91% of 18-24-year-olds.
Collaboration is crucial to making sustainability work, says Lee Ellams, head of marketing at Tieva. He highlights the role of partnerships in reducing supply chain emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and promoting circular economy practices. Suppliers can contribute by adopting greener manufacturing processes and sharing sustainability data to align efforts across the industry.
Transparency is also essential. Accurate and consistent data collection enables businesses to track their progress and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. This is particularly relevant in managing Scope 3 emissions, which encompass indirect emissions throughout the supply chain. However, achieving full carbon footprint visibility remains a challenge due to fragmented data and inconsistent reporting from suppliers.
Agilitas CEO Sara Wilkes underscores the importance of fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation in sustainability efforts. She notes that high-quality data collection is key to meaningful progress, emphasising that regularly logging and reviewing data is just the first step in a long-term commitment.
According to the report, sustainability is no longer a distant objective for IT businesses—it has become an urgent necessity. Hopefully, this mindset extends beyond IT and into other industries as well.
*This article is a summary of an article from Techcentral.ie. The full article can be found here.
