Dimension Data Sets New Environmental Sustainability Goals

Nov. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- Dimension Data (http://www.dimensiondata.com/Global), the global IT services and solutions provider, today announced that it will use technology to reduce its clients’ carbon by 1.8 million tons more than the Group itself produces, and prevent 4,000 tons of electronic waste from going to landfill. This will save its clients up to USD 2 billion in energy and travel costs, reduce pollution, and conserve natural resources by 2018.

“The principle behind these targets is simple,” explains Brett Dawson, Dimension Data’s CEO. “We want to use technology to save more carbon while ensuring that we minimise electronic waste going to landfill. We believe that our new targets will help our clients achieve not only their economic, but also their environmental sustainability goals.  At the same time, it encourages us to work together and find new ways to use technology to solve a vital issue in preventing dangerous climate change – the reduction of carbon.”

Helping clients reduce their carbon emissions

Colin Curtis, Dimension Data’s Director of Sustainability says the case for using technology to reduce carbon is extremely compelling. “Our research reveals that one server that’s moved to the cloud typically saves 4,000 kWh of energy every year. Companies that move their computing resources from company-owned data centres to optimised managed cloud platforms can significantly reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions.”

Another approach to reducing carbon emissions is using visual communications technology. “By allowing employees to have face-to-face communication using videoconferencing systems and immersive telepresence rooms reduces unnecessary travel.  A typical unmanaged videoconferencing system will save almost 20,000 km in travelling distance per year.”

According to Dimension Data’s research, greater adoption rates of an immersive telepresence room could save nearly one million kilometres per year.

Curtis says many companies struggle to maximise the potential benefits of their videoconferencing equipment. Common reasons for this is difficulty using the equipment, lack of timely support when issues arise, and the complexity of booking conferences. Using our technology, we demonstrate how to improve the adoption of visual communications equipment and, in turn, reduce travel expenses, unproductive time, and carbon emissions,”

Commitment to environmental stewardship

In addition to cloud computing and visual communications, Dimension Data will continue to innovate with other services to help clients quantifiably reduce their carbon emissions. This includes data centre virtualisation, smart buildings, and network energy management.

“Instead of simply reducing the environmental impact from our own operations, we’ve set ourselves the challenge of using technology more progressively, in order to help our clients with their own carbon reduction strategies. This is part of our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices,” concludes Curtis.

Dimension Data worked closely with leading consultancies, Carbon Trust and Carbon Smart to define the targets and methodology for carbon reduction. Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking, contributed significantly to the methodology for reducing landfill from electronic waste. Cisco is a member of the Circular Economy 100, a global platform to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

In 2013, Dimension Data was positioned as a Leader in the Green Quadrant® Sustainable Technology Services report by Verdantix (http://www.verdantix.com/) for having a dedicated sustainability practice, a wide range of capabilities, and a strong track record in corporate sustainability.  In January this year, the Group announced that it was awarded a score of 94 (out of 100) by Carbon Disclosure Project for disclosure of its climate change strategy.

-ENDS-

About Dimension Data

Founded in 1983, Dimension Data plc is an ICT services and solutions provider that uses its technology expertise, global service delivery capability, and entrepreneurial spirit to accelerate the business ambitions of its clients. Dimension Data is a member of the NTT Group. www.dimensiondata.com