What is an IT system if not the nervous system of a company? What is its relationship with digital transformation, which is currently revolutionizing businesses at their core? And how does the sustainability of digital technologies manifest at a time when the ecological transition permeates strategic decisions and corporate choices?

From an environmental perspective, digital technologies are responsible for about 2% of carbon dioxide emissions today (a figure that is expected to double by 2030). However, it is also true that they are indispensable tools for achieving carbon neutrality, enabling overall more environmentally sustainable solutions and effective governance tools.
European regulations incentivize technologies that allow for the rational and reasonable use of energy resources, optimization of consumption and processes, and application of the 4R principle: reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. These are new technologies (e.g. 5G, blockchain, 3D printers) that work with large volumes of data (so-called big data), which must be stored, maintained, processed, and updated, demanding significant energy expenditure.

Digital technologies also have significant social relevance. Consider the role of the internet in people’s lives globally, particularly in terms of accessibility, bringing benefits to various social groups and the community as a whole.
On both macro and micro levels, sustainability, digitization, and social inclusion are concepts closely linked to each other. For instance, remote working has transformed work methods (and therefore lifestyles and job opportunities) during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Also, let’s think for a moment about the huge amount of information that is collected, aggregated, processed, used, and communicated within and among organizations. In this context, concepts such as confidentiality and digital security become essential.

But what are the levers that companies can use to mitigate the negative environmental impact of IT systems?

• Opt for hardware that slows down technological obsolescence and manages technological waste.
• Adopt virtuous behaviors to operate corporate technological systems with awareness of their environmental impact – turning off unused hardware, eliminating auto-play features, and other harmful automatisms.
• Use cloud services to optimize data storage.
• Promote awareness through training sessions for employees on the responsible use of digital systems and implement an adequate system of rules and controls over digital activities.

And what measures ensure proper attention to the social aspects of the impact of technologies?

• Build and consolidate over time a sustainable information architecture in its hardware and software components, in all phases of use and maintenance, up to decommissioning.
• Use encryption and robust protocols to protect data and contain cyberattacks.
• Ensure maximum diligence in the protection of user-owned data and their rights regarding access, deletion, and transfer.
• Implement procedures, responsibilities, and roles related to digital security within the company, safeguarding the privacy of employees and other stakeholders involved.

We, s-mood sustainable solutions, are available to support your company with professional consulting services to guide you towards corporate improvement with a focus on greater sustainability, offering a personalized approach consistent with your company’s unique characteristics and in line with the evolving regulations.