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Tech execs launch non-profit to promote sustainable IT

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Tech execs launch non-profit to promote sustainable IT

SustainableIT.org seeks to create frameworks, standards and best practices to help organisations clean up their operations

A group of technology executives has launched a trade association and non-profit organisation SustainableIT.org to promote sustainability around the world through technology leadership.

The organisation aims to define sustainable transformation programmes, author best practices and frameworks, set standards and certifications, provide education and training, and raise awareness for environmental and societal programmes. Its board members include CIOs from financial organisations such as BNP Paribas and Morgan Stanley and business services firms including Deloitte, as well as travel and logistics firms and technology companies.

Founder Jed Yueh, who is also CEO and founder of DevOps data company Delphix, said there is an urgent need to address the sustainability question, particularly given society's increasing reliance on technology.

"Technology and data will grow exponentially over the next decade, with skyrocketing electricity consumption and environmental impact. In the pursuit of revenue growth, technology programs have trampled consumer data privacy and negatively impacted society. We need safeguards to protect our world."

The current lack of standardised metrics and transparent reporting around sustainability is one area the new organisations will address, Yueh said.

Another problem is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and SustainableIT.org will seek to create industry-specific frameworks for action. Yueh offered the example of the financial services sector, which could introduce "digital programmes that eliminate the need to drive and visit branch offices or shuttle paperwork and checks from location to location - that can significantly reduce carbon emissions."

Brian Kirkland, CIO of Choice Hotels who has a seat on the SustainableITorg board, said that moving the hotel chain's property management operations to AWS and building a cloud-based reservations system from the ground up will allow Choice to completely eliminate its data centres in the next couple of years. Analysts say cloud data centres are more than three times more efficient than the average corporate data centre in their use of energy.

The hotel firm is also piloting a property management dashboard, which Kirkland says, "will enable our franchisees to track utilities usage at the hotel level, and help identify opportunities for additional energy, water and waste conservation that can not only protect the environment, but also reduce their operating costs".

Fitness and media company Beachbody has also moved operations to the cloud. CIO Bryan Muehlberger said the company is planning to increase efficiencies further by maximising the use of serverless compute.

"We are assessing the viability to move to serverless computing that scales up and down on demand so that we are only using resources that match with our needs, versus having servers and such running at peak capacity during non-peak periods," Muehlberger said. He added that a lack of clarity and focus around sustainability has made hindered action at some organisations.

"Our biggest hurdles are two-fold," said Muehlberger. "First, it is important that we focus on the development of a set of sound guidelines and frameworks that are easy to understand - and more importantly actionable. Our next hurdle is to get more and more companies to adopt these frameworks and take key actions within their own companies. If we can do both of these things, we will make the world a better place for current and future generations."

Asked why he'd chosen to join the non-profit Ralph Loura, CIO of optical products manufacturer Lumentum, explained that he'd "got tired of the political and social media noise and decided that if we are to make a difference it is time for that small group of thoughtful committed individuals to come together".

Loura continued: "Now is the time for gathering. Gathering up ideas, examples of what others are doing, data and like-minded people. The next step is organising what we gather and that is often the challenge and opportunity"

Computing 's Tech Impact conference this Thursday will organisations find out how to improve their sustainability through technology. Register today!

Tech execs launch non-profit to promote sustainable IT

SustainableIT.org seeks to create frameworks, standards and best practices to help organisations clean up their operations

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