The Green iT, more and more popular in companies

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Today, environmental concerns are becoming more and more important. Whether in their daily lives or in their work, employees expect companies to take full responsibility for these issues.

The ecological transition is no longer seen as a fad but as a necessity to meet the challenges of everyday life and the future. It is becoming an important means to increase the competitiveness of companies in addition to being a powerful lever for change.

But to have a real positive impact, it is time to go beyond simple eco-actions and to go further in the process. This is why responsible digital technology, or Green IT, is becoming a major issue for companies.

How important is the ecological transition for employees? What exactly is Green iT and how can it be implemented in your company? Rzilient gives you its thoughts on the matter.

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The ecological transition at the heart of the concerns

LinkedIn and ADEME presented in May 2021 a study conducted with the CSA Institute to assess how employees view the issue of ecological transition in their workplace. To do this, 1004 employees from the private sector, the public sector and NGOs were questioned.

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A growing interest in environmental issues

The figure that stands out the most from this study is that, with equivalent offers, 78% of employees would choose to join a company committed to the ecological transition. This is a significant figure that shows the importance of the quest for meaning in one's work.

43% of employees believe that the ecological transition must become a priority in the company. And in the eyes of citizens, several major bodies must play a role in this movement:

• the State (34%)
• citizens (26%)
• companies (18%).

These figures speak for themselves and show that the ecological transition is an issue to be taken into account today.

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Young people put the ecological transition at the heart of their jobs

For the younger generations, the environment is the number one concern, after health. For employees over 35, health comes first and then the environment.

This reinforces the idea that current and future generations will choose companies that are in line with their values and commitments. Far from greenwashing, there is a real quest for sincerity and positive impact.

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5 reasons to implement Green iT in your company

The companies that will be seen as attractive in the future will therefore be those that are committed to environmental, social and ethical issues.

Digital responsibility is part of these commitments, as 68% of French employees believe that their digital activities within companies have a negative impact on the environment.

And 74% of employees would like the company to go further on these issues of digital responsibility and Green IT to reduce the impact of digital technology (Source: GreenIT.fr)

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What is the Green iT?

To give a definition of Green iT: the challenge of Green iT is to reduce the ecological, economic and social footprint linked to the use of computer technologies. The objective is to preserve natural resources, whether it is the energy used in the use of tools or the raw materials used to produce them.

This is why the Green iT is part of a broad vision and not simply on the use. The entire life cycle of IT equipment is taken into account. From manufacturing to end of life, through use, each digital tool pollutes and emits greenhouse gases.

It is not because it is a virtual domain that the carbon footprint of digital technology is immaterial. ADEME emphasizes that it is not the use phase of a computer that pollutes, but rather its manufacturing and end-of-life stages that have the greatest impact, up to 80%.

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1. Reduce your carbon footprint

The first step before seeking to implement solutions to reduce its carbon footprint with digital responsibility, is to make an Enterprise Carbon Footprint.

The Bilan Carbone is mandatory in certain cases:

• Companies with more than 500 employees (or more than 250 employees in the DOM);
• Local authorities with more than 50,000 inhabitants;
• public establishments and state services with more than 250 employees.

This diagnostic and analysis tool allows you to see the direct and indirect emissions generated by your company and all your activities. In order to reduce efficiently, you must analyze and modify the items that emit the most greenhouse gases.

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2. Go beyond simple "eco-actions" and go further

The study conducted by the CSA Institute for Linkedin and ADEME showed that employees mostly talked about eco-actions when it comes to actions carried out within the company.

Many employees talk about the everyday things they do:

• recycle and better sort waste (60%);
• turn off their computers at night (68%);
• turn off the lights when you leave;
• minimize the documents they print (53%);
• avoid single-use items (49%).

We can see that commitment to work is above all a quest to save energy and resources. Implementing a less impactful IT fleet reinforces these commitments.

As mentioned, 74% of employees would like the company to go further on issues of digital responsibility and Green iT. (Source: GreenIT.fr)

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3. Attracting talent and younger generations

The CSA Institute's study speaks for itself: with equivalent offers, 78% of employees will choose to join a company committed to the ecological transition. This is proof that committing to these issues is not a gamble on the future but a certainty of becoming and remaining an attractive company.

Roles and skills will continue to grow in the green transition field and more and more people will seek to work in this sector.

1 in 3 millennials say they make more effort when their employer adopts a responsible and sustainable approach. (Source: OpinionWay).

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4. Build customer loyalty through an ethical corporate culture

Today, more and more customers are looking for transparency. Times are changing and greenwashing is prohibited by law. A concrete commitment to a Green IT policy is part of this desire for continuous improvement.

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5. Promote your employer brand and commitments

Having a Green iT policy within your company allows you to show how aware and committed you are to the ecological transition. To gain the trust of your customers and stakeholders, the most important thing is to communicate on your different commitments.

Whether it's your circular economy scheme, like at Rzilient, or your zero waste policy, show the concrete actions you are implementing.

The idea is not to green your brand, but to make it more attractive to recruit talent and younger generations.

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How to implement responsible digital with Green iT?

How to implement a Green iT policy to fit into a digital responsibility approach for companies?

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Rent your digital equipment

To renew your IT fleet, you don't necessarily have to buy all the new equipment. Rzilient offers solutions that allow you to lease reconditioned IT equipment. You can also entrust us with the management of your fleet during the different cycles of its life.

The goal? Extend the use and reduce the carbon footprint of your IT devices. In addition to reducing your costs, renting is ideal when you want to be part of a circular economy approach.

The rental is without any commitment, or for 12 or 36 months, and it allows you to be accompanied in the best way on the long term. You can change the equipment in the middle of the contract, or buy the equipment at the end if you don't want to part with it!

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Favour reconditioned equipment

If you prefer to buy your iT fleet to renew it, Rzilient offers reconditioned and verified devices.

Repaired, reused and reconditioned, digital devices have a much lower impact than if they were new. It is a saving that is in the order of 50 to 350 times the weight of the tool in materials necessary for its manufacture.

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Extend the life of your devices

To fight even more effectively against programmed obsolescence and the overconsumption of computer tools, there is nothing better than repair.

There are small things you can do to make your appliances last longer:

• ask yourself if the latest update is necessary or if it will slow down your computers;
• install only the essential software;
• Use eco-designed software to use fewer resources.

In a context where scarce materials are becoming increasingly scarce and ecological issues are becoming more and more important, committing to these issues is not just a simple lever for attractiveness.

Implementing a green iT policy to be part of a responsible digital approach and sobriety develops the reflex to be in a circular economy approach. Your commitments and your transparency become the best assets to gain the trust of your customers, your employees and your stakeholders.

You want to implement a Green iT policy in your company?

Let's discuss it!

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