Risks and challenges

At present, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry is on a par with the aviation industry in terms of annual CO2 emissions. In the last three years, environmental legislation, such as the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (Rohs) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), has had heavy tolls on ICT companies, which are faced with significant risk to profitability and reputation due to the promulgation of emissions legislation globally. Extreme weather events also pose a threat to supply chains, where critical resources such as water may become scarce.

Opportunities

The ICT industry is in the unique position of being able to facilitate a shift towards a low-carbon economy in other industries through policy decisions that will also significantly boost its growth. These opportunities include smart integrated buildings that are manageable in real time, smart grids for better communication and information dissemination, broadband solutions that facilitate remote communication which will result in less travel, and more efficient and intelligent transport networks. Through the development of low-carbon-emissions solutions and products, ICT companies will be able to enter and open new markets, as well as differentiating their products in a highly competitive market place. Energy efficiencies within their organisations will also enable ICT companies to increase productivity and margins whilst reducing their own emissions.
An example of a company that has benefited from these opportunities is Hewlett Packard (HP), which has become a climate-change leader through emissions reductions across its supply chain and aggressive reduction targets. HP continues to achieve significant productivity enhancements through a campaign targeting suppliers aimed at promoting emissions awareness and reductions.

What can GCX do for you?

• Efficiency:

Through determining your carbon footprint and a business-case energy efficiency audit, GXC will assess your company’s carbon emissions and help you to set targets and budgets that suit your business. From here, GCX will help you to implement reductions and achieve your cost-cutting goals, which include education campaigns in your organisation to engrain climate-change awareness in your company’s culture and to ensure that employees support internal initiatives. GCX will also undertake to monitor your emissions on a continuous basis. The journey towards becoming a low-carbon business also offers significant PR and marketing opportunities that can be harnessed to differentiate your company as a climate-change leader.

• Supplier efficiencies:

GCX will assist your suppliers in becoming low carbon-emissions companies, which will enable you to enhance your productivity, brand and reputation as a low-carbon-emissions company.

• Legislation and reputation:

GCX will determine the effect that carbon laws will have on your business and identify the best ways to ensure your continued profitability, which also include establishing the reputation risks posed by being affiliated with a high carbon-emissions business.

• Adaptation:

Adaptation involves the adjustment of systems in order to respond to actual or expected weather events or their physical manifestation. These adjustments mitigate the harm or exploit the beneficial opportunities that arise from these events. GCX will assess the effect that climate change will have on your supply chain and business as whole. Our specialists will highlight the risks inherent in your business model and identify solutions to this risk and help you to implement them.

• Lifecycle assessment (LCA):

GCX’s LCA services endeavour to help companies understand the carbon emissions in their products, from cradle to grave. This information is vital if you are planning to introduce a green alternative to your current product range. Research shows that consumers trust a company and are more willing to buy its products if it has a clearly defined climate-change strategy.