Challenge

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, sustainability is often side-lined when IT decision-makers evaluate technology choices. While cost, security, and technical fit are key considerations, environmental impact remains an under-prioritised factor in solution design.

BJSS takes co-ordinated approach to improve the sustainability of our estate, services and delivery for customers. We work within local tech communities, steering groups and working bodies to share and expand knowledge and expertise to support industry improvements.  

Our Sustainability Services Lead recently supported the Leeds Green Tech Working Group to deliver a Hack Day, aimed at tackling the following challenge: How can sustainability become an integral part of IT decision-making without compromising on other critical objectives? 

Solution

The Leeds Green Tech Collaborative Hack Day, led by BJSS, brought together a diverse mix of professionals, including consultancies, design agencies, green tech vendors, and representatives from DEFRA, Leeds City Council, and NHS England. The initiative aimed to generate actionable insights and strategies to embed sustainability into IT decision-making processes. 

Participants explored the problem statement from the perspective of three key roles: 

  • Portfolio managers: Investigated how existing practices could be optimized for sustainability
  • Architects: Considered data and standard tests to evaluate environmental impact
  • Procurement teams: Developed questions to assess features that enable low environmental impact and green technology practices. 

The collaborative effort yielded a wealth of ideas and requirements, paving the way for a comprehensive guide for the technology and digital community. 

Outcome

The day concluded with actionable takeaways that can inspire immediate and long-term change: 

  1. Don’t wait for perfection 
    Measuring the environmental impact of applications is complex, influenced by factors like cloud strategy and API usage. However, sustainability must be considered at the solution design stage to avoid locking in high-impact tools. 
  2. Focus on capabilities, not solutions 
    The emphasis should be on building a toolkit of capabilities for green software development over the solution's lifecycle. This approach allows for balanced trade-offs while ensuring sustainability remains a core consideration. 
  3. Maximise co-benefits 
    The green technology agenda aligns with leaner, more efficient, user-centric, and accessible solutions. Highlighting these "win-win" opportunities can shift IT leaders’ perceptions, showing sustainability as a competitive advantage rather than an overhead. 

The Leeds Green Tech Working Group is energised by the fresh perspectives and innovative solutions from the hack day. Work is now underway to consolidate these ideas into a practical guide for IT leaders and technologists. 

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