It’s widely known that the transport and energy sector are the biggest culprits when it comes to carbon emissions, but IT is a huge contributor in its own right.

A review of nearly 170 international studies conducted by the non-profit The Shift Project showed that by 2018 the carbon footprint of digital technologies had eclipsed that of the entire aviation industry – 3.7% for digital technologies compared to 2.5% for aviation!

In recent years, we’ve seen sustainability become nearly like a buzzword for companies. Major tech companies like Apple and GiftHub, continue to make pledges to reduce or eliminate their carbon footprints. The real question is - how do you move from a want of becoming sustainable, to actually taking action, making a difference and actually reducing your carbon footprint?

Your first step to sustainability - Techies Go Green

Techies Go Green was founded by DataSolutions, the specialised distributor of innovative IT and security solutions. It is a movement of IT and tech-oriented companies who are committed to decarbonising their businesses and making them green and verifiably sustainable.

Techies Go Green has three main goals:

• Build awareness of the issue of climate change in the IT & technology community

• Identify actions members can take to help play our part in slowing climate change

• Go carbon neutral, by making it as easy as possible for members to measure their carbon footprint and implement strategies

Why Join Techies Go Green?

Techies Go Green is free to join, and open to businesses and individuals in UK and Ireland. Our aim is to enable each member to purposefully improve their energy efficiency by collaborating and sharing practical know-how.

By joining, you’ll be part of a network of like-minded companies sharing knowledge and building relationships. Some of our already active signatories include SoftCat, LakeSide, Arkphire and Comit PR.

Together, we’ll work on taking practical steps to protect your profits against those rising carbon taxes . In Ireland, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020 sets out rising carbon tax costs, with the tax currently standing at €33.50 per tonne CO2 and this is set to rise incrementally to €100 per tonne in 2030.

As customers begin to demand proven sustainability credentials, inaction could result in your business getting locked out of new and existing supply chains. These increasingly require sustainability credentials to participate, as well as building an enhanced reputation and trust from good sustainability values. That’s where Techies Go Green comes in, we will give you the support, tools and actions to take to stop this.

What’s more - think of recruitment and employee retention. A recent article by Forbes shows that today’s employees want to work for companies with missions that promote inclusivity and sustainability, not divisiveness and harm to the environment.

Benefits of Joining Techies Go Green.

• Newsletters with the latest news, tips and advice on sustainability for both individuals and businesses.

• You get access webinars and educational pieces on work practices, case studies and talks with specialist speakers around sustainability.

• The unique opportunities to voice your opinion and influence ideas on sustainability, with open discussions with like minded people.

• Promotion of your business and it’s sustainability actions, including but not limited to: your business logo featured on the website, featured promotional material on our blog and promotion over all out social media channels.

• Free use of Techies Go Green branding for your promotional material

• As a registered Sustainable Energy Community, members can avail of grants of up to 40% of the cost of their sustainable activity. (ROI only)

Techies Go Green is open to business AND individuals to join. Change starts with the efforts of each person through their own choices and the example they set for others. If you are UK or Ireland based and work for a tech company or for a business that supports the sector we’d love to have you join.