Are you ready to build a digital strategy that lasts?
Everyone is jumping on the digital transformation bandwagon. But, here’s the deal…
The majority of businesses are missing the point completely. Companies are too focused on shiny new tech to care about the long game.
Which is a mistake.
Why? Because a digital strategy with no thought for sustainability is a costly decoration at best.
The successful companies of tomorrow will be the ones going digital with one important detail in mind…
Sustainability.
In this post, you’ll discover:
- Why Sustainable Digital Transformation is a Smart Business Move
- Understanding the Environmental Impact of Digital
- Making Smart Tech Choices that Save Money and Resources
- Building a Long-Lasting Digital Strategy
Why Sustainable Digital Transformation is a Smart Business Move
If you haven’t already gotten the memo, digital transformation is no longer an option…
Research data says that global spending on digital transformation reached $2.5 trillion in 2024 alone. With projections expecting that spending to hit $3.9 trillion by 2027.
That’s a whole lot of money companies are willing to throw around. But what do businesses get for their money?
The truth is, a shockingly large portion of digital transformation projects go nowhere. One example, only 35% of businesses reported meeting their digital transformation goals. This problem isn’t due to companies not spending enough money on digital services.
The true problem is most companies are focused on short-term gains, rather than future-proofing for the future.
Successful organizations understand that sustainable digital transformation is the best way to future-proof.
They approach digital services with an eye on both their financial bottom line and on protecting the environment. Meaning, they want to ensure any digital strategy they use isn’t just beneficial now, but for years to come.
Companies like DMI are in the vanguard of this change. They are working with their clients to show how sustainable, digital transformation can go hand in hand with increased performance. Their approach is creating digital strategies and systems that work both now and in the future.
Understanding the Environmental Impact of Digital
Before we jump into specific strategies and decisions, you need to know something…
The companies going digital have a big problem.
Their environmental impact is massive.
Which is why they need to make changes NOW.
Here are some facts that’ll make you sit up and pay attention:
- The smartphone you’re carrying around has about 70 kilograms of raw materials that go into making it and discarding it
- And, to make a 2-kilogram computer, you need 800 kilograms of raw materials
And it’s not just gadgets…
The total environmental impact of the ICT sector was a whopping 1.5-3.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With no sign of it slowing down as we become more and more digital.
There’s a big thing most companies don’t get…
It’s not just one part of your digital transformation that has an environmental impact. Everything does.
Cloud storage, data centers, software platforms, hardware upgrades…
All of it.
What’s the good news?
Companies with a forward-thinking approach are already working on reducing their digital environmental impact.
Making Smart Tech Choices that Save Money and Resources
Okay, let’s say you agree to reduce the digital impact on the environment?
Why do you want to do it?
If it costs you money? Sure, some companies are going to take this angle.
But if you’re looking for the smart way to reduce digital environmental impact… You should know this first:
It saves you money.
Businesses that take the environment into account when they make decisions around digital technology find that it’s good for their ROI too.
Why? It’s all about less waste and smarter resource utilization.
Make Smart Cloud Choices
You may not know this…
Not all cloud services are the same.
Some data centers are powered by renewable energy. Others aren’t.
When you’re looking at what digital transformation services to use, one of the first questions to ask is what’s their energy source and carbon footprint?
Green cloud providers use renewable energy.
They also have advanced cooling systems, carbon offset programs, and transparent environmental reporting.
Optimize Your Data Strategy
Okay, here’s a shocker for you.
Data hoarding is not your friend. Financially or environmentally speaking.
Did you know that for every byte of data you keep, it costs money and energy to store it?
Businesses that take the time to audit and improve the way they store data can make immediate savings and slash their digital environmental impact.
Some simple data optimization tactics include:
- Regular data audits to get rid of duplicates
- Automated data lifecycle management
- Compression technologies for long-term storage
- Smart archiving policies
Invest in Energy-Efficient Hardware
Of course, sometimes you need new hardware…
You do your business and your digital transformation a favor and buy the energy-efficient kind.
Energy-efficient devices are usually a little more expensive to buy, but cheaper to run over time. Plus, you’re hitting that environmental impact reduction target too.
So look for:
- ENERGY STAR-rated equipment
- Devices with low standby power consumption
- Modular devices that can be easily upgraded
- Devices with components made from recycled materials
Building a Long-Lasting Digital Strategy
The most successful digital transformations have one thing in common:
They are thinking about the long game.
Rather than jumping on every shiny new trend, sustainable digital strategy is all about building scalable, flexible systems that can change with the business over time.
Make Sustainability Goals a Priority
Before you start to use digital transformation services, decide what you want to achieve from an environmental impact perspective.
Ask yourself some questions:
- How can you use technology to reduce your carbon footprint?
- What manual processes can you digitize to eliminate waste?
- How will you measure and track your environmental performance?
- What are the regulatory and reporting requirements on sustainability that you need to meet?
Choose Scalable Digital Tools
The best tools will grow with your business.
Rather than needing to replace your entire system every few years, pick those that can scale and expand. This will save you money and be better for the environment too.
Apply Circular Economy Principles
Here’s one for you…
Use circular economy thinking in your digital strategy.
The circular economy is:
- Designing for longevity and reuse
- Minimizing waste in digital operations
- Creating systems that support recycling and recovery
- Building relationships with technology suppliers who share your sustainability values
Track and Measure Digital Impact
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
Track the data on your business performance and on the environmental impact of your digital services. You’ll be able to make more informed choices, plus you can prove your ROI to stakeholders too.
The key metrics to track include:
- Energy consumption by digital services
- Carbon footprint of your tech stack
- Resource efficiency improvements
- Cost savings from sustainability efforts
- Productivity gains for employees
Making It All Work Together
The thing with sustainable digital transformation is…
It all works together.
When you pick sustainable digital services, you end up with better performance, lower costs, and more engaged employees.
Which is why it’s not about sacrificing your business goals to save the planet. It’s about finding options that help with both.
Work With the Right Partners
You don’t need to do this alone…
Find a digital transformation partner who gets the importance of environmental impact.
They’ll be able to help you navigate the confusing world of sustainable tech options and build a strategy that works now and in the future.
Stay Flexible and Agile
Digital technologies change all the time…
Which is why you need to center your digital strategy around something that doesn’t change.
Sustainable digital strategies should be the lynchpin on which you can pivot and adapt to new technologies and processes in the future.
Making Better Choices for the Future
It’s your move.
Ready to future-proof your digital strategy? It’s not hard.
It starts with one small change.
Pick one process or system and apply some sustainability principles to it. Measure the impact and see what you can learn.
Then scale up…
The future belongs to the businesses that can learn to innovate sustainably. That can build digital strategies that create long-term value, not short-term gain.
Your digital transformation strategy doesn’t have to choose between success or sustainability.
Take a smarter approach and you’ll get both.
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