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Green is the buzzword worldwide. Slowly but surely, nations are waking up to
the imperativeness of initiating a Green movement within their countries.
Corporates have also joined the bandwagon in an effort to the save the planet,
as well as to save resources.
About 85% of IT professionals surveyed for a Forrester report stated that
environmental factors were important in planning IT operations, but only
one-quarter of these had put the green criteria in their companys purchasing
processes. However, only 15% of the IT professionals have a high level of
awareness about their vendors green initiatives, which points at the lack of
awareness among the entire community.
Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), often referred to as Green
purchasingthe affirmative selection and acquisition of products and services
that most effectively minimize negative environmental impacts over their life
cycle of manufacturing, transportation, use, and recycling or disposalis now
becoming prominent and promising.
But would the looming recession derail the initiatives? How do investments in
green technology get affected amidst ripples of slowdown? Would CIOs take it as
an extra burden and cut IT spends or would they instead look at long-term
promises and invest more?
Purse Strings
The slowdown in general is not going to have any major dent on IT
investments. Companies dont seem to be trimming their IT spends yet. In fact
we have increased our IT spend this year, due to big initiatives like CRM, SCM,
and ERP implementations planned for the year, said Pratap Gharge, vice
president and CIO, Bajaj Electricals. The focus, he said, is on reducing the
inefficiencies in the current processes and supply chains, and to improve
customer relationship for sustained business growth with reduction in the cost
of doing overall business by implementing good software.
Interestingly, IT would rather support than impede a businesss progress in a
not-so-bullish scenario like that of now. IT can play an important role in
helping a company tide over a recession.
Green Turn Red?
Two important issues that bother CIOs today are global economic meltdown
and global warming. The first scenario has already happened, while the second is
in queue, points out Deepak Thakur, senior research analyst, ICT Practice,
Frost & Sullivan, South Asia and Middle East.
Global warming being more dreadful, companies have started employing
resources and funds at initial stages and Green IT is one such resolution.
However, the recent financial setbacks faced by the IT industry will force CIOs
to think twice over the volume and time for investment in Green IT.
Heavy investments at initial stages right from R&D, implementation cost,
profitability in long term, short term costs incurred for green IT have to be
considered against the current economic crisis, the fluctuating dollar,
reduction in IT expenditure across industry, and addressing current challenges
in the wake of looming recession. This will make CIOs think twice over new
venture in green IT. says Thakur.
Nevertheless, green IT is not only a profitable venture for the long term,
but also addresses issues related to global warming that demands paradigm shift.
So, companies with long term focus, and which understand the importance, still
have green IT in their priority list.
Green IT for CIOs has two connotations: one as a philosophical steroid, and
two as a business muscle. Thus, going green is a philosophical commitment that
is gaining momentum. It seems to have many dimensions to a CIOs lenses.
Green IT means refreshing technology to lower the total cost of ownership.
To the data center manager, it is a path to controlling rapidly increasing
energy costs, while also trying to control increasing demands for space and
cooling. To the eco-scientist it is a means of achieving socially desirable
goals. To the legislator it is a growing demand to regulate, driven by competing
pressures from busi-nesses and environmental advocates, says Manikkam VS,
Information Technology Head, Henkel.
It is important for each organization to commit to a forward-directed and
fully integrated business process that includes achieving social goals, he
added.
Top Priority
Apparently, the direction for green IT would only be positive in the long
run. Green IT/environmentally friendly technologies would not be a low priority
for companies this year in view of the looming recession. It would continue in a
variety of ways and formatsnot just as an over-arching philosophy but as
strategic business rationale as well.
We always focus on upgrading our old IT infrastructure with the latest
environmentally friendly servers, which consume less power and require less
cooling. We try all this not just for the sake of upgradation, but also as per
our business requirements. We have always initiated all our IT projects as per
business needs and the organizations capacity to absorb the change. Hence, we
have not gone for ready ERP software till date, says Gharge from Bajaj
Electricals.
Initially, the amount of investment planned for implementation of green IT
will take a hit and might get reconsidered to adjust with the current
challenging environment. In the short term, many decisions will get altered to
settle down from the jolt, which will also include green IT.
Thakur doesnt see any specific area that would come under the scissor. The
entire concept of green IT has to be considered. Major IT companies are focused
on solving issues related to global warming before the situation gets worse.
Initial investment will be higher, and the wait for good margin may be longer as
it happens in every case. But green IT is the only solution, and it cannot be
neglected, he said.
Pratima Harigunani
CyberMedia News
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in
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