With sustainability on the agenda across the IT industry, a new survey undertaken by IT distributor DataSolutions reveals that the channel is failing to realise the importance of sustainability.
The latest findings from its ‘How sustainable is the UK channel?’ survey found that 10% of channel respondents conceded they have failed to demonstrate sustainability pedigree and had lost a contract or tender because they couldn’t show strong credentials in this area.
According to the survey, sustainability still lags behind price, performance and cost savings, with channel respondents scoring it an average of 4.9 on a scale of 0 to 10. These three other criteria achieved average scores of 7.8, 7.9 and 7.3, respectively.
However, there are signs of a shift, with sustainability closing the gap on criteria such as price and performance in the next two years, the survey found.
When asked about their priorities in the next few years, channel respondents awarded sustainability a 6.7 average score, compared with 7.6 for price, 7.8 for performance and 7.4 for cost savings.
“What our sustainability report has shown is the growing importance of action being taken across the UK IT channel industry,” said Michael O’Hara (pictured), group managing director of DataSolutions. “It’s no longer enough to pay lip service to this. If you don’t act and set an example, this could impact on your bottom line.”
O’Hara added that priorities are changing, and while it doesn’t factor alongside price and performance just yet, sustainability is increasing in importance.
As part of its 'Go Green' initiative, which launched back in March last year, DataSolutions says it has helped IT and tech-oriented companies decarbonise their businesses. To date, over 160 signatories have joined and begun their sustainability journey as part of the company’s initiative.
“Since launching Techies Go Green a year ago, we’ve had an incredible response from organisations across the UK channel and wider IT industry,” added O’Hara. “We are looking to double our signatories this year and are very confident we will do so given how sustainability is growing in importance.”
