The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has set out five strategic objectives for its efforts to develop a sustainable approach to IT within its group of agencies.
It has published a brief document outlining objectives on: reducing and mitigating carbon emissions; the efficient use of resources; demonstrating transparency and mitigating risk; making sustainability business as usual; and providing net gains for the environment.
Among the details are to set IT performance objectives based on sustainability, and delivering IT solutions that produce environmental benefits that outweigh the costs. The latter includes the condition of ecosystem services that flow from natural assets, such as in the management of land, rivers and oceans.
A blogpost on the publication of the objectives says: “We believe that our ambitious internal action to achieve net zero, improve reuse, and provide net gains for the environment will drive national and international influence.”
Last year Defra created its Joint Sustainable IT Group with several suppliers as a step towards promoting the agenda, and it has set up the Defra e-Sustainability Alliance with an industry guide to help businesses contribute to the movement.
Image from iStock: Alex Brylov
