Ctg sit23 hub banner.jpg

How can CIOs assess the sustainability of their supply chain?

Previously tech leaders had a more immediate understanding of the direct impact of their organisations on the environment, now it’s entirely dependent on suppliers, says Mark Ridley

With the climate crisis looming, CIOs and other technology leaders need to quickly understand what they should be doing to promote sustainability within their organisations.

Computing caught up with Mark Ridley, founder of Ridley Industries and former interim CTO at the FT, former CIO of Reed.co.uk and former Group CTO at Blenheim Chalcot, to find out more.

Computing: Does sustainability matter to CIOs? What should they be doing to influence their organisations?

Mark Ridley: It should matter to CIOs. But it's increasingly difficult to do anything other than look through our supply chain. Whereas before we might have had a more immediate understanding of the direct impact, we're now dependent on suppliers especially with the move to cloud. Whilst it's an important and critical part of pronouncement, we need to take on faith what suppliers are telling us now as there's no means of independently verifying it.

A new use for excess data centre heat

CTG: What should the broader tech industry be doing?

MR: Every business needs to consider its own model and sustainability footprint and make what changes it responsibly can. Businesses first responsibility is to profit, the second should be to sustainable and ethical profit. It's different for every business. Many of the smaller changes will be process or policy based. Reviewing all suppliers is important, but what else can you do inside the business, like cutting international travel, making changes to avoid unsustainable decisions, encouraging reuse first, then recycling if possible, cutting the purchasing of materials that aren't necessary. Also things like more work from home options to cut down the impact of commuting. Small consistent decisions will make the biggest impact.

CTG: How can CIOs check the green credentials of their supply chain?

MR: It Depends on the size of the organisation. There's very little you can do other than read the websites of the large providers. Where you work with smaller companies, it's great if you can do more to check up on them. Do a site visit if you can, that's good for the relationship as a vendor and customer, it's also good to dig in more to demonstrate you take it seriously.

CTG: How important is it to assess the power usage and energy provenance of a data centre?

MR: I would be looking to make sure the energy used was renewable, whilst also minimising the footprint and use as far as possible. Things like blockchain are relatively troubling as they're costly from an energy perspective. It will be interesting to see how that develops. If we get to unlimited free green energy then fine, but if not we need to consider the environmental cost of every email and Slack message.

Computing will be hosting a sustainability-focused virtual event later this year. Sponsorship enquiries should go to: [email protected]

How can CIOs assess the sustainability of their supply chain?

Previously tech leaders had a more immediate understanding of the direct impact of their organisations on the environment, now it’s entirely dependent on suppliers, says Mark Ridley

Public Sector

National Grid is turning analogue to digital - Ctrl Alt Lead podcast

Green

Peter Cochrane: Energy and resources are no longer free

Green

AI to blame for Google's rocketing greenhouse gas emissions