IT industry experiencing a Green change

Looking at the IT market from a holistic perspective, environmentally friendly isn’t the word that springs to mind. On closer inspection it becomes apparent that there are Green recycling programs and initiatives in the technology marketplace and even more planned for the year ahead. Social responsibility is a concept that is becoming front of mind and is being forced by the need to introduce government regulations.

Vendors across multiple facets of the channel are announcing a strong commitment to the environment this year, with programs and initiatives being introduced to drive community awareness to a sector that hasn’t always been associated with recycling or ‘being Green’.

The area is being touted as a big push for the channel this year, with the majority of vendors announcing a commitment to the environment. Last year, analyst firm Gartner placed Green IT as the number one technology and trend that would be strategic for most organisations in 2008. IDC’s U.S. Green IT survey showed that it is a global business concern that is significantly impacting how IT executives will make technology-buying decisions now and in
the future.

On the local front, IBRS has also recognised the space, releasing a report that says senior IT teams should have a Green IT strategy agreed with senior management, in place, and active. This is so companies will already be focused on their organisation’s strategic Green issues instead of hastily adopting ad hoc and less than optimal green IT measures in the future. Dr. Kevin McIsaac, analyst for IBRS, explained that Green IT is not like a product, it is more of an IT strategy that is applied to IT infrastructure and projects.