A New Frontier in Workplace Sustainability
Did you know that enterprise technology emits about 350 to 400 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent gases (CO2e), accounting for just over one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions? While one percent seems minimal, it’s actually a significant amount. Enterprise tech emits half the emissions that aviation or shipping accumulate and is equivalent to all the carbon emissions of the UK.
It is even more notable today that as digital transformation accelerates, the carbon footprint of end-user computing is becoming impossible to ignore, and it is now a new frontier for corporate sustainability strategies. Let’s explore how real-time carbon footprint tracking for devices, such as desktops and laptops, impacts industries and how automated tools enhance sustainability in the digital workplace.
The Impact and Shifts of IT Infrastructure
McKinsey found that end-user devices are a major contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with recent projections showing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% annually. Rapid growth has driven regulations like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), where companies are increasingly required to monitor and report all GHG emissions directly linked to their IT infrastructure inside and outside the office. Regulations are where new tracking technology can step in.
Industry Shifts
Manual processes are time-consuming and often lead to inaccuracies. Shifting away from manual processes is even more prevalent in the context of environmental impact monitoring. Manual methods require significant human intervention and aren’t continuous. While businesses used to get away with these processes, today’s demands on IT infrastructure and its devices make it nearly impossible to keep up with industry demands.
When narrowing down the impact on carbon accounting, traditional manual tracking processes are even more tedious and error-prone, making it challenging for companies to accurately track, measure, and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With 90% of Fortune 500 companies committed to sustainability goals, the demand for better carbon accounting solutions is surging. The demand largely catalyzes the significant shift toward AI-driven systems that automate data collection and analysis, streamlining the process. Such systems provide real-time, detailed insights into emissions and enhance the accuracy and efficiency of reporting, enabling businesses to respond more quickly, and effectively to environmental regulations.
Real-Time Tracking For Managing Carbon Footprints
According to the 2024 Gartner® report, The Impact of CSRD on Enterprise Sustainability Strategies, an estimated 50,000 companies within the EU will have to comply with the CSRD by 2028, compared with the 11,700 companies covered by the current rules. To keep up with increased responsibility requirements, real-time tracking technologies can now monitor the emissions from employee devices. Companies can now see their environmental impact by analyzing usage data, device specifications and location-based energy consumption rates, avoiding legal fees and fines. This data is crucial for reporting under increasing regulatory frameworks and offering increased insights for identifying opportunities to reduce emissions.
The Role of Automated Tools in Sustainability
Automated tools play a crucial role by integrating sustainability metrics directly into IT management systems. Today, companies seeking real-time insights into their carbon footprint can leverage various advanced tools and technologies designed to automate and optimize environmental data tracking and reporting. Here are some prominent tools:
- Internet of Things (IoT) Devices: IoT sensors can be integrated across various operational points to allow continuous energy consumption, resource utilization and emissions monitoring. These devices provide real-time data crucial for monitoring environmental impact directly and promptly.
- AI and Machine Learning: Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data collected from sensors and other sources to identify patterns, predict future emissions and recommend actions to reduce the carbon footprint. AI-driven tools are particularly useful in complex operations where multiple variables affect emissions.
- Cloud-Based Analytics Platforms: Platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud offer specialized services for environmental monitoring and sustainability analytics. These platforms can aggregate data across global operations, providing a unified view of an organization’s environmental impact and facilitating real-time insights and decision-making.
- Carbon Accounting Software: Specific software solutions, like Watershed, Planetly by OneTrust or Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud, focus on tracking carbon emissions and other sustainability metrics. These tools help businesses measure, manage and report carbon emissions effectively, often aligning with international standards and frameworks for sustainability reporting.
- Energy Management Systems (EMS): These systems monitor and control facilities’ electrical and mechanical equipment for better energy efficiency. EMS can provide detailed real-time data on energy usage, helping companies adjust their operations to reduce energy consumption and associated emissions.
- Blockchain Technology: Some companies are exploring using blockchain to create transparent and immutable records of emissions data. Using blockchain can enhance the accuracy and credibility of carbon reporting, which is imperative for regulatory compliance and corporate sustainability reporting.
- Digital Twins: A digital twin is a virtual model of a physical process, product or service. This technology helps simulate and analyze the carbon footprint under various operational scenarios, allowing companies to optimize processes and reduce emissions before implementing changes in the real world.
These tools, often used together, enable businesses to gain detailed, actionable insights into their carbon footprints, helping them make informed decisions that align with their sustainability goals. For example, ControlUp’s recent launch with Px3 offers a suite of tools designed to help organizations monitor and optimize the energy efficiency of their IT assets with real-time endpoint device data, such as manufacturer, location and usage, all on a carbon footprint reporting platform. Combining energy efficiency data with real-time endpoint device data enables companies to automate carbon footprint reports across their endpoint estate without additional licensing costs, allowing for proactive management of resources.
Strategic Actions for Reducing Emissions
When organizations can see real-time data, they can quickly pinpoint the origin of their most significant EUC emissions so they can take action. A few strategic actions to reduce endpoint IT carbon footprints could be:
- Enhancing Device Efficiency: Adopting more energy-efficient devices is one direct way of reducing carbon emissions. Another avenue may be to replace cumbersome software with a thin-client option, reducing e-waste and extending their lifespans with less.
- Optimizing Usage: Implementing policies for better device management, such as encouraging machine shutdowns when not in use.
- Infrastructure Adjustments: Moving more workloads to the cloud can lead to substantial reductions in emissions, as cloud infrastructures are often more energy-efficient than traditional data centers.
In whichever way businesses aim to reduce their impact, the first step is to collect the data to inform those decisions. The drive toward digital transformation presents a unique opportunity to embed sustainability into the core of business operations. By leveraging advanced tracking tools and embracing strategic changes, businesses can mitigate their environmental impact and align with global sustainability goals. Real-time insights into company footprints make it easier than ever to do the right thing.
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