Why Measure? Companies calculate their IT environmental emissions annually for reports and regulatory compliance, typically by applying an emission factor to their total IT spending to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
While this approach satisfies regulatory requirements, it fails to provide actionable insights for reducing environmental impact. Here’s why:
- Price is an unreliable indicator of emissions—it doesn’t reflect price fluctuations, negotiating power, or other cost efficiencies.
- Focusing solely on GHG emissions overlooks the impact on water consumption, raw materials, and waste.
- Price-based measurements don’t reveal impacts across the entire lifecycle.
Measurement is a critical means to communicate, prioritise and track impact:
- Transparency and precision – prioritisation of quick wins and long term investments
- Demonstrate your achievements in sustainability
- Communication and impact – its easier to change mindsets and inspire action at all levels of the organization when backed by insight
The fundamental purpose of measurement is to enable reduction.
Read the full whitepaper (coming soon) to find the right partner to mature your measurement!
