The UK's first green IT business group had its inaugural meeting on Wednesday.

The user-focused Environmental IT Leadership Team is led by charity Global Action Plan and includes members from Lloyds TSB, John Lewis Partnership, Sony UK Ltd, the British Medical Association and E.ON UK.

The aim is to research and publish best practice sustainable IT strategies, says team chairman and Global Action Plan director Trewin Restorick.

'Currently the advice available to IT dDirectors and chief information officers comes from technology vendors. Although the intentions are good, the advice can be sometimes confusing and contradictory,' he said.

'The green IT team will provide a forum to review vendors’ advice and government policy, cutting through the techie and political jargon to give practical advice for creating a sustainable IT structure,' said Restorick.

The first meeting discussed an initial piece of research assessing the impact of IT on the environment.