The green gap: why IT sustainability goals are falling short

Sustainability is a top priority across corporate organisations, and IT teams play an increasingly crucial role in reinforcing and defining sustainability commitments. The vast majority of IT leaders believe the IT department’s sustainability actions make a significant positive contribution toward improving global sustainability. But new research from Barco ClickShare, based on a survey of 500 US IT decision-makers, finds that ambition and action are not yet aligned.

IT leaders are eager to champion sustainability

IT leaders care deeply about their organisation’s sustainability goals. Almost all agree that IT departments should lead the way in achieving company sustainability targets, and more than half believe they care more about sustainability than any other group in their organisation. Sustainability ranks as one of the top considerations when purchasing hardware, sitting just behind security and tied with cost. Eighty-two percent say they would not accept a role at an organisation without a strong track record on sustainability.

Despite this, the work requires a broader partnership. Only 6% of respondents say their IT department is the sole decision-maker over IT investments, meaning the vast majority must collaborate with other stakeholders to purchase equipment aligned with sustainability goals. Sustainability and environmental affairs teams already have a significant seat at the decision-making table, and IT leaders will need to leverage these cross-functional allies more proactively.

Sourcing and implementation remain significant barriers

Once the will is there, practical obstacles remain. Ninety-five percent of IT leaders say it is still difficult to source sustainable equipment options, with particular challenges around networking hardware, peripherals and data storage. Around one third cite a lack of information about suitable options and insufficient time to explore alternatives as the primary blockers.

Even when sustainable equipment is identified, 92% face implementation challenges. The most common obstacles are integration complexity with existing systems, security concerns and difficulty measuring and tracking sustainability impact. These are areas where vendors have a clear role to play in streamlining their offerings.

The repair and recycle gap

Despite strong stated commitments, many IT departments are falling short on the basics. Only 16% of IT leaders say repairability is a top consideration when making technology decisions, and just 11% say the same about recyclability. More than a third admit their department sometimes fails to recycle devices, and 37% say whether to use a manufacturer’s repair service depends on cost and timing.

Ambition without alignment

Almost all (98%) of IT departments have already set specific KPIs for sustainability goals, yet a significant gap exists between how realistic senior leaders and managers consider those targets to be. While 68% of IT leaders at VP level and above believe their KPIs are very realistic, only 46% of managers said the same. That disconnect suggests sustainability goals are being set at the top without the operational investment needed to achieve them further down the organisation.

Remote and hybrid work have added further complexity. Increased reliance on cloud services is widely seen as a sustainability gain, but remote working has also made e-waste harder to manage and reduced control over the energy efficiency of devices used outside the office.

From intent to everyday practice

To make progress, IT leaders will need to think beyond sustainable purchasing. Extending the lifecycle of IT hardware through maintenance and upgrades, selecting equipment that can be repaired or recycled, and building cross-functional alignment around shared sustainability goals are all critical steps. Vendors, too, must do more to highlight sustainable options and simplify integration.

Everyday decisions around sustainability add up. Bridging the gap between ESG commitments and operational practice will require IT leaders to work in lockstep with sustainability allies across their organisations, treating repair, reuse and recycling with the same rigour as the headline initiatives.