Top 6 Technology Resources to Reduce Enterprise Environmental Impact

A recent Nielsen survey found that 73% of global consumers would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact, and a survey from Deloitte found that climate change and protecting the environment continue to be top concerns for millennials and Gen Z.

In the face of escalating climate change, environmental degradation and resource depletion, businesses are realizing that sustainable practices are more than just a moral obligation — they’re a business requisite. Establishing a sustainability strategy is now table stakes for businesses aiming not just to minimize their environmental impact, but to meet rising consumer demand for greener goods and services, comply with stricter regulations and appeal to investors.

We’re now firmly in the age of sustainability, but it’s also the age of digital transformation and unparalleled technological advancement. While technologies like compute and storage can contribute significantly to enterprises’ environmental footprint, other technology resources are helping them navigate the complex mesh of business impact assessments and measurements, environmental laws, carbon pricing, reporting necessities and compliance.

Here are six technology resources to help you reduce environmental impact across the enterprise.

1. Sustainably Rated Products

One of the most basic steps businesses can take to reduce their environmental impact is by carefully considering the ecological attributes of the technology devices and hardware they purchase and deploy. Many technology products now carry prominent sustainability certifications and ratings — such as ENERGY STAR, EPEAT and TCO — which provide a clear indication of their energy efficiency, recyclability and overall environmental impact.

These rating systems tend to embrace a circular economy philosophy, promoting production of less resource-intensive materials while also recycling product "waste" and end-of-life products back into the new materials stream. By making environmentally rated purchases, enterprises can directly reduce their carbon footprint, energy consumption and electronic waste generation without sacrificing performance.

Where and from whom you acquire your technology matters nearly as much as the technology systems and devices you purchase. Buying from vendors dedicated to sustainability ensures the integrity of your environmentally friendly purchases and demonstrates your commitment to environmental responsibility. Cooperating with organizations that simplify your transition to greener solutions is a win-win situation. Vendors like CDW, for instance, have made the process seamless with searchable and filterable online catalogs of environmentally rated products, making it easier to find ENERGY STAR-rated devices and other sustainable solutions to meet your needs.

2. Greening Software and Applications

As enterprises seek to enhance their sustainability performance, specialized software and applications have emerged as powerful tools to drive meaningful change. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) software suites, such as IBM Envizi, provide businesses with comprehensive end-to-end solutions to measure, manage and report on their sustainability metrics. These platforms can integrate data from across an organization's operations, including energy usage, emissions, waste, water consumption and supply-chain activities, to provide a centralized, data-driven view of the company's environmental impact.

By leveraging the advanced analytics, automation and reporting capabilities of ESG software, enterprises can gain unprecedented visibility into their sustainability performance, identify optimization opportunities, and track progress toward their environmental goals. These tools also enable businesses to streamline their sustainability data collection and reporting processes, ensuring compliance with evolving regulatory requirements, and meet the growing demand for transparency from customers, investors and other stakeholders.

3. Smart technology and loT Networks

Interconnectivity between smart tools and technologies can be a game changer for businesses pursuing greater eco-consciousness and operational efficiencies. Globally, buildings and facilities are responsible for approximately 39% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. A solution lies in building management systems (BMS), also known as building automation systems (BAS), which are made up of a network of IoT-enabled sensors and control systems that can significantly improve energy efficiency by automatically optimizing lighting, climate control and power management based on occupancy, weather conditions and other real-time data. This not only leads to significant reductions in energy costs and emissions, but also creates healthier, more productive work and living environments for building occupants.

Local governments like New York City are beginning to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, part of New York City’s broader Climate Mobilization Act targets buildings specifically as the largest source of carbon emissions (nearly 70%). Starting this year, buildings over 25,000 square feet will be required to adhere to specific energy efficiency standards and greenhouse gas limitations imposed by the new act. IoT and smart technologies will play a vital role in enabling businesses and building owners to comply.

4. Data Center Power and Cooling

Data centers (DCs) are well known as significant contributors to a business's overall environmental footprint. According to Forrester, a single data center can consume as much energy as 50,000 homes. This is why deploying energy-saving hardware and striking the right balance between powering and cooling data centers is crucial to minimizing your environmental impact.

Data center consulting experts can provide immense value to businesses who want to maximize their DC efficiency and lower their carbon footprint. These professionals can conduct in-depth assessments of a company's data center operations, evaluate the performance and efficiency of power and cooling systems, and identify opportunities for optimization. By leveraging advanced monitoring tools, modeling techniques and industry best practices, consultants can help enterprises implement targeted improvements, such as server virtualization, cooling system upgrades and renewable energy integration.

5. IT Asset Disposition (ITAD)

As enterprises strive to reduce their environmental footprint, the responsible disposition of technology assets is often treated as an afterthought. IT equipment such as computers, servers and mobile devices contain a variety of materials, including precious metals, plastics and hazardous substances, that must be properly handled at the end of their useful life. Incorporating ITAD into your enterprise sustainability strategy ensures that these assets are securely data-wiped, remarketed, refurbished or recycled in compliance with environmental regulations, preventing electronic waste from ending up in landfills or being exported to developing countries.

Many organizations rely on technology experts like CDW who specialize in ITAD to help them develop and implement robust ITAD policies and practices. These experts can provide guidance on the latest recycling techniques, certifications and industry standards, as well as assist with the logistics of asset tracking, transportation and responsible disposal. They can also help enterprises explore opportunities to extend the useful life of their technology through resale and refurbishment channels, reducing the need for energy-intensive manufacturing and mining of new resources.

6. Comprehensive Sustainability Consulting

Piecemeal, siloed initiatives targeting individual areas of sustainability like energy efficiency or waste reduction often fail to deliver the transformative impact that commercial organizations and higher regulatory standards are seeking to realize. A comprehensive approach to sustainability that aligns with your organization's overall mission and operations is how businesses drive meaningful, long-lasting change.

Most commercial organizations are not proficient in sustainability techniques. Technology experts like CDW can provide access to an extensive network of resources and expertise, thanks to strategic partnerships with sustainability consultants like The Uplift Agency. These organizations can help enable a comprehensive approach to reducing your environmental footprint, assessing attributes and impacts across the entire business, from energy and resource consumption to supply chain logistics and product lifecycles.

This is key if businesses are to develop a roadmap for integrating sustainability principles into core business functions, from tech decarbonization to climate disclosure readiness to ESG regulatory reviews. As more regulations and standards arise across industries, leveraging sustainability networks and consultative relationships make it easier for businesses to mitigate risks and achieve benchmarks while sending a powerful message about their dedication to a greener feature.

Technology resources play a multifaceted role in achieving environmental and social goals. First and foremost, enterprises must evaluate the environmental impact of their own technology infrastructure, including data centers, devices and IT operations, and implement strategies to improve energy efficiency, reduce resource consumption and extend the lifecycle of hardware assets. Leveraging emerging sustainable technologies like advanced data analytics, IoT sensors and digital monitoring tools can provide businesses with the insights needed to optimize resource usage, automate sustainability processes and measure the impact of their operations comprehensively.

With UN Sustainability Development Goals alignment, an EcoVadis Gold score, ISO 14001 environmental management system certification, and a commitment to numerous sustainability initiatives, CDW is an excellent partner for businesses striving to achieve their sustainability goals. We deliver solutions such as smart energy systems that enable businesses to meet and exceed regulatory standards while addressing increasing consumer and investor demands for eco-conscious practices. CDW's searchable online catalogue also enables businesses to discover and evaluate eco-friendly solutions tailored to their specific needs.

By helping your business navigate the complex landscape of environmental laws and compliance measures, CDW helps you unlock new markets, secure long-term profitability and safeguard your reputation, making sustainability a strategic advantage in today's market.