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Corporate Environmental Sustainability

For many enterprises, the pursuit of corporate sustainability and green IT began as an altruistic endeavor. However, these initiatives have now become a means to significantly reduce operating costs, improve corporate image, be a good steward of the planet, and deliver a new type of core business competency. Many companies seek IT improvements that reduce the energy and carbon impact of IT itself, but also support sustainability practices across the full range of corporate processes and assets. These initiatives include teleworking, carbon management and reporting, supply chain optimization, and facilities energy management.

REDUCE POWER NEEDS WITH VIRTUAL DESKTOPS
One way to reduce environmental impact is to optimize your IT systems. Forrester Research[1] recently found that Windows 7 customers are realize energy cost savings of $30 to $50 per computer, which results from a greater use of the sleep-standby-hibernate functions, automatically enforced by Group Policy.
 
Pakistan-based mobile provider Warid Telecom International wanted to maximize uptime and energy efficiency in its call centers. To improve operations, they selected a virtual desktop infrastructure based on Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V. Warid has increased uptime to 99.9%, has cut support time by 40%, and expects to reduce power consumption by 80% and capital costs by 20%.

MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
Another way to cut energy consumption is through virtualization which lets you reduce the number of physical machines and increase server utilization efficiency. Centralized systems-management software from Microsoft actively manages the energy consumption and environmental footprint of physical and virtual IT environments across data centers, desktops, and devices.   

RETHINK BUSINESS PRACTICES
In addition to changes in IT, certain business practice changes can extend your environmental efforts:  
 
  • Microsoft unified communications and collaboration technology helps individuals and teams to interact remotely and also reduces your travel, commuting, and office space requirements.
  • Electronic forms, digital note-taking software, and online services for deskless workers help create a near-paperless office.
 
All of these efforts can help you to improve your bottom line and reduce your environmental impact.

 

 
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[1]Data based on sample customers and “The Total Economic ImpactTM of Microsoft Unified Communications Products and Services,” a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Microsoft, October 2007, Jeffrey North (Project Director).

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