Sustainable IT: How Technology Leaders Can Drive Real ESG Impact

Every time we send an email, run an AI model, or store another file in the cloud, an unseen cost is associated with it. Somewhere, a data centre is operating at full capacity, drawing enough electricity to power whole neighbourhoods and consuming thousands of litres of water each day to stay cool. In 2022 alone, data centres used around 460 terawatt-hours of electricity worldwide, and this demand is forecast to more than double by 2026, driven largely by AI workloads and cryptocurrency mining.

For CIOs and CTOs, this is not just a technical or operational issue; it is a strategic one. It is a leadership challenge with clear implications for reputation, compliance, investment, and business growth. Customers, regulators, investors, and employees increasingly expect technology to be part of the climate solution, not part of the problem.

I contributed to the recent HotTopics ESG Supergroup White Paper on Sustainable IT, which provides practical guidance on aligning technology strategy with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. Below are some of the key findings from the paper, along with steps that technology leaders can take to make sustainability a driver of innovation and measurable value.

(You can download the full white paper here…