IT leads set to prioritise sustainability, research finds

Sustainability will be a core priority for IT leads over the next two years with more than four in five (83%) saying that operating more sustainably is a key part of their plans, according to research from Brother UK

The survey of 500 UK IT leads found that this ambition holds significant potential to cut energy use and the amount of waste that goes to landfill. Just half of the respondents currently recycle waste (51%), only 43% use refurbish or recycle hardware and less a third (32%) choose tech and IT solutions that are energy efficient.

The findings come as the energy intensive nature of tech operations and device use increases and the UK stands as the second worst generator of waste electronic equipment waste per capita in the world*. A quarter (25%) of IT leads said they felt guilty they couldn’t prioritise more resource on making their operations more environmentally friendly.

Almost two thirds (64%) of the respondents felt that they are not accountable to support the businesses they work for in operating more sustainably. Yet, the majority (92%) of the IT professionals surveyed said their businesses are working towards ESG targets, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. A large proportion of the respondents also said that delivering new cost efficiencies (87%), enhancing security (87%) and building resilience (84%) were key priorities alongside boosting sustainability. 

Liam Fitzgerald, head of distribution and reseller sales at Brother UK, said: “The findings show that enhancing sustainability will be high on the agenda for IT leads when it comes to purchasing decisions, from the products they buy and how they procure them to the green initiatives they can access.

“This presents resellers with a significant opportunity to provide added value to customer relationships, by understanding where they can cut the amount of waste they produce and energy their equipment consumes to provide the right solutions.

“We’re committed to helping our partners reduce the environmental impact of customer print fleets and managed print services represent an effective route to achieving this. It enables businesses to monitor the supplies they use more effectively and reduces the unnecessary consumption of paper, toner, ink and energy.”

The research was conducted by Censuswide in August 2021 and surveyed 500 IT decision makers.

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