Consider a few of these statistics: green IT reduces businesses’ energy costs by 15%, on average, reduces operating costs by increasing efficiency, increases employee and customer loyalty and helps organizations to be sustainable through technical solutions.
The first step to applying green computing/information technology (IT) practices to your business is to know where you currently stand. Completing an assessment is critical to your success. An audit will provide you with your baseline and valuable data about your current operations. This data will enable you to assess whether there is a business case, set goals, effectively engage employees, measure the impact of improvements, and ensure you can demonstrate results.
As the field of green IT is relatively new, there is still discussion about the appropriate key performance indicators and how to report on improvements. Experts recommend a combination of policy-based metrics (e.g. Do you have a responsible purchasing policy you adhere to?) and statistics such as greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.
How should you gather the necessary information for your assessment? While simple tools and calculators (such as Forrester’s Green IT Baseline Calculator) exist, the broad assumptions made by these calculators are restrictive. They often over promise and will lead you to set unrealistic goals. A customized assessment will go much further in providing a clear picture of the opportunities for your enterprise. A consultant should also provide recommendations for the highest leverage initiatives. The cost of bringing in a consultant to conduct an assessment in comparison to the cost savings identified is often very reasonable.