Defence Digital has outlined three key principles and six goals and objectives in a ‘sub-strategy’ document for sustainability in the sector’s use of digital technology.
The organisation, which works within the Ministry of Defence (MoD), has published Sustainable Digital Technology and Services for 2021-25 as part of the broader Digital Strategy for Defence, saying it is intended to provide guidance to staff and decision makers across the digital function and a signal of intent to suppliers.
It is underpinned by the three principles, the first being to reduce the environmental footprint from digital capabilities by ensuring they do not cause pollution, require less energy and reduce the demand for raw materials. Part of this will be in managing the number of devices used to avoid unnecessary proliferation and re-use hardware when possible.
The second is to use digital to adapt and evolve, helping to make the MoD a net zero-carbon organisation, add more resilience to the supply chain and adapt to climate change. The third is to use responsible and assured procurement to support sustainable development, ethical standards and socio-economic wellbeing.
Accompanying these are the six goals and objectives:
- Cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero through the efficient use of resources.
- An embedded circular economy in digital technology, involving a closed loop system for equipment, including offers of remanufactured items by default.
- Digital services that improve sustainability, ensuring it is embedded in project approvals and across the lifecycle of a capability.
- Resilient operations and supply chains, with digital operations future proofed from disruption.
- Ethical, traceable and assured supply chains.
- An educated and responsible workforce with a higher awareness of the importance of sustainability within ICT.
While there are no dates attached to the goals, Defence Digital says it will develop a delivery plan with more specific actions over the next year, and that military commands and enabling organisations should include relevant measures and targets in their own digital plans. It also indicates that it will refresh the sub-strategy at an appropriate time.
Writing in its foreword, director of strategy and military digitisation Major General TR Copinger-Symes and director climate change and sustainability James Clare say: “With a £26 billion programme over the next 10 years, we must all ensure that Defence Digital plays its part in the transition to a low carbon ‘circular’ economy that operates ethically and maximises social value.
“Much of our supplier base is already leaning into the problem and we must both exploit this momentum and engage with them to go further.”
Image form iStock, Alphaspirit
