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The Green Information Technology (GIT) capability aims to manage IT operations in an environmentally sensitive manner, and to leverage IT to minimize the environmental impact of the wider business activities.

An effective Green Information Technology (GIT) capability aims to:

• Enable the organization to meet its goals of minimizing its environmental impact by:
  • Developing the IT capabilities to minimize the impact of computing activities on the environment — for example, sourcing/designing, operating, and disposing of the computing infrastructure efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment.
  • Enabling hi-tech/low-carbon business operations — for example, redesigning business operations using environmentally sensitive IT solutions.
• Enable the organization to comply with environmental regulations.
• Enhance its brand reputation by minimizing the organization's environmental impact.
• Demonstrate leadership in information technology practices that have environmental benefits (planet), social benefits (people), and financial benefits (profit).

The Green Information Technology (GIT) capability enables organizations to minimize their impact on the environment by using IT to deliver Triple Bottom Line (TBL) results — environmental (planet), social (people), and financial (profit).

It is estimated that collectively the IT industry accounts for yearly global emissions of 830m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂). This equates to approximately 2 per cent of the total yearly global emission levels and is roughly the same as that produced by the aviation industry¹. Furthermore, IT-related emissions are rising five times faster than global CO₂ emission levels². Therefore, if action isn't taken, IT activities are set to drive global CO₂ emissions even higher. With the introduction of environmental taxes on business activities, offending organizations can expect to face increased carbon tax levies and a negative impact on their public image.

By establishing an effective Green Information Technology (GIT) capability, an organization can reduce the environmental impact of its activities, improve its brand value, and contribute to its bottom line. Typically, such an approach will focus on reducing the power consumed by data centres and other computing equipment; and then moving beyond internal IT infrastructure to where the IT function can enable environmentally sustainable business practices across the entire organization.

The Green Information Technology (GIT) capability is the ability to minimize the environmental impact of IT, and to make the best use of technology to minimize environmental impact across the organization.

Representative POMs are described for GIT at each level of maturity.

2Basic

• Practice

  Develop an initial vision and objectives for green information technology, placing greater emphasis on short-term targets.

  Outcome

  An agreed green information technology vision with clear objectives can help mobilize the organization into action.

  Metric

  Percentage of employees who can describe the objectives.

• Practice

  Agree targets for the establishment of key roles, policies, and compliance goals to support green information technology.

  Outcome

  Visible targets help mobilize the organization towards fulfilment.

  Metrics

  • Percentage of policies available.
  • Number of roles operationalized.
  • Compliance goals published.

• Practice

  Agree the green information technology policies in compliance with key regulations and standards.

  Outcome

  Any organizational non-compliance is known and remedial actions can be defined.

  Metrics

  • Number of compliance breaches.
  • Time taken to remedy compliance breaches.

• Practice

  Promote a common language/vocabulary for discussing the impact of green information technology activities and how to measure it.

  Outcome

  Stakeholders share a common understanding of what green information technology means for the organization.

  Metric

  Percentage of green information technology activities with defined outcomes using the approved organizational language/vocabulary — for example preferred or agreed metrics.

• Practice

  Assess the environmental impact of IT infrastructure and services at different stages of the life cycle — for example, production, transportation, use, maintenance, and disposal.

  Outcome

  Quantifying the environmental impact of IT activities can widen stakeholder buy-in to the green information technology strategy.

  Metrics

  • Percentage reduction in the IT function's carbon footprint.
  • Percentage reduction in the use of hazardous materials/components.

3Intermediate

• Practice

  Ensure that the strategy for green information technology is applied to a prioritized list of projects and activities.

  Outcome

  The organization's sustainability agenda and activities have greater influence across the organization.

  Metrics

  • Percentage improvement in the IT function's carbon footprint.
  • Percentage improvement in the overall organization's carbon footprint.

• Practice

  Provide employee incentives to improve awareness of green information technology and encourage use in business operations.

  Outcome

  Awareness and acceptable behaviours grow among individual employees.

  Metrics

  • Percentage of employees with green information technology and business operations targets.
  • Number of communications showcasing model employee behaviours.

• Practice

  Mandate environmental sustainability policies across the IT asset life cycles, IT operations, and processes.

  Outcome

  The environmental impact of IT activities becomes a formal mandate across the IT function.

  Metrics

  • Percentage reduction in the IT function's carbon footprint.
  • Percentage reduction in the use of hazardous materials.

• Practice

  Benchmark the outcomes from green information technology initiatives.

  Outcome

  The improved environmental sustainability performance of the entire organization is known, and this can lead to the wider promotion and take-up of better practices.

  Metric

  Number of practices shared across business domains.

• Practice

  Encourage all suppliers (current or prospective) to provide details of their green information technology practices.

  Outcome

  A more sustainable IT procurement process is encouraged.

  Metric

  Percentage of suppliers who provide sustainability reports.

4Advanced

• Practice

  Conduct joint reviews with other business units to evaluate the performance of green information technology initiatives.

  Outcome

  The green information technology performance of the entire organization is known, and any performance gaps in it are clear.

  Metric

  Percentage of business units' environmental sustainability targets achieved.

• Practice

  Jointly review green information technology objectives across the whole organization.

  Outcome

  There is a single forum for discussing green information technology initiatives.

  Metric

  Number of joint business unit initiatives involving green information technology enablement.

• Practice

  Leverage the success of green information technology initiatives in corporate communications — for example, by communicating sustainability performance and progress to stakeholders.

  Outcome

  Employees, customers, and partners better appreciate the organization's endeavours regarding green information technology.

  Metrics

  • Number of industry awards received for green information technology.
  • Number of times the organization is mentioned externally — for example in media outlets — for its green information technology credentials.

5Optimized

• Practice

  Continually promote the green information technology strategy at the executive board level.

  Outcome

  The organization maintains its focus on achieving its environmental objectives.

  Metric

  Percentage reduction in carbon footprint across the organization.

• Practice

  Advocate green information technology throughout the extended value chain.

  Outcome

  The impact on the triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) can be amplified by leveraging relevant business ecosystem partners.

  Metrics

  • Percentage reduction in carbon footprint across the organization.
  • Percentage reduction in carbon footprint across the value chain.

• Practice

  Maintain a continual engagement with standards and regulation setting bodies.

  Outcome

  The IT function has an insight into evolving trends and can influence future compliance, government programmes, and industry targets.

  Metric

  Number of active engagements with industry, regulation, and standards bodies.

This capability was introduced in Revision 16 as a new critical capability.

The following CCs cover topics that are related to GIT in some way:

BPMBusiness Process Management

Redesigning business operations to minimize environmental impact

DSMDemand and Supply Management

Incentivizing environmentally sensitive consumption of IT services

EAMEnterprise Architecture Management

Applying design guidelines for implementing environmentally sensitive IT services

SPStrategic Planning

The high-level strategic direction that will guide and influence the green information technology strategy and implementation roadmap.

SRCSourcing

Ensuring environmentally sensitive sourcing practices across the supply chain

SRPService Provisioning

The impact of sustainability requirements on IT service management — for example, the impact on SLAs if the financial close is moved to take place at a quiet time, or if it is decided to move to a virtual environment.

TIMTechnical Infrastructure Management

Details on managing the physical IT infrastructure (and related software) components in an environmentally sensitive manner.

TIMTechnical Infrastructure Management

Managing the computing infrastructure