Half of all the decision makers in corporate UK can see
no point in agreen policy, according to a new
study, and half of them are unconvinced that IT is the main cause
of the company's carbon footprint.
The report concluded that UK business don't have the time, or
the inclination, to commit themselves to green IT policies.
The study, independently commissioned by IT firm
Bell Micro, also
found that green IT policies in the UK aren't taken seriously. Only
eight per cent of companies questioned have a formal
environmentally friendly policy and most of those rely on recycling
paper, cans and hardware in order to lower their
carbon footprint.
Three in four companies are not taking any action to lower their
contribution to global warming, according to the research. In a
large majority of cases, this inertia is deliberate. Of the 76 per
cent (out of a study group of 350 companies) who are ignoring the
debate about global warming, a significant majority have no plans
at all to reduce their CO2 emissions. On the other hand 15 per cent
of companies in the UK (if the study is a representative sample)
are willing to lower their carbon footprint, but have yet to
formulate or implement a policy.
A significant proportion of companies think a compliant green IT
policy is too time consuming. Nearly one in five (18 per cent) said
it would take at least a year to plan and implement.
Of those companies that do have a green policy, 85 per cent were
found to be using an outsourcing service to handle their IT
purchasing and management, but only 27 per cent have questioned the
green credentials of their service provider.
Corporate UK has neither the time, the inclination, or
motivation to act on the environment, concluded the research. Even
those that are aware of green issues see lowering their carbon
footprint as a low priority task that they are unlikely to find
time for. Green IT is largely seen as a marketing gimmick,
according to the sample of companies questioned.
"I am surprised," said Antony Young, Bell Micro's director of
services. "What concerns me more is the lack of awareness of the
value that new technologies can bring. These are available and can
deliver considerable green advantages to a business
immediately."