A high-tech how-to for sustainability

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From green buildings to global warming, the environment is hot (no pun intended), as is the increasing push — from clients and customers — for organizations to be good global citizens. You can’t pick up a newspaper, watch TV or even surf the Internet without learning how concern for eco-friendly practices and overall corporate behavior is shaping the way we think — about the cars we drive, the compost we keep and the products and services we create.

Across all industries, the high-tech sector is perhaps the laggard in thinking about sustainability, but it’s starting to happen.

High-tech companies consume massive amounts of energy and raw materials, and the disposal of their obsolete products creates a quandary of how to most efficiently balance social, environmental and economic needs. In the last several years, government, consumers, industry evangelists, investors, and business analysts have all begun to ponder the practice of sustainability in the high-tech industry.

Here’s a quick two-part sustainability how-to for high-tech businesses:

Bake it into your business strategy

The best way for a high-tech organization to aim for sustainability and to become a trusted environmental and social steward is to think about sustainability from the get-go.

Companies must draft a blueprint that weaves environmental compliance with federal, state and local regulations and sustainable practices into an organization’s daily activities and business processes at every level, from the top management to folks in the field.

Decisions related to product design, manufacturing, IT, marketing, sales, supply chain, consumer use and equipment disposal are all related, and companies need to establish enterprise-wide, proactive policies and procedures to guide them through every stage of the product lifecycle.

Being strategic requires a solidly grounded sustainability framework. One of the most effective is The Natural Step, which offers a whole systems approach based on sound scientific principles to guide business strategy.

It’s not enough to have just good looks and great performance anymore

Designing and creating a sustainable product requires a lot of forethought — and a lot of after-thought — as well as a heck of a product.

How will it be packaged? What type of transport will it require? How easy is it to maintain, repair and service? What can be recycled, and how will what’s left be thrown away? Design choices also must consider the amount of energy needed to create a particular product or service. Today’s products must not only excite and capture consumers, they should also demonstrate their sustainability efforts that not only curb costs and spare natural resources but also take into account the effects the work has on those who do it.

The places where these products are made and the manufacturing practices organizations employ there must be environmentally friendly, seeking to reduce energy, water consumption, waste and emissions. In addition, these factories must safeguard the health and safety of their workers. The plan also should take into account how an organization’s supply chain can embrace sustainable business practices as well.

High-tech companies exploring such options include Dell, which in November 2009 began using bamboo packaging for some of its products, which is lightweight, strong and compostable.

Last month, IBM launched a new program to address the sustainability and environmental aspects of its nearly 30,000-member supply chain, in more than 90 countries. IBM executives are asking suppliers to create voluntary environmental goals and to measure performance for at least three topics virtually all businesses: energy conservation, greenhouse gas emissions and waste management/recycling. IBM also is asking them to publicly disclose their results.

The balance between sustainability and other high-tech business objectives can be achieved. It’s not a simple process, but with discipline and the proper systemic framework, it’s absolutely possible. And necessary.

Gina Binole is a former government, business and environmental reporter and serves as the Director of Programs & Outreach for the Oregon Training Network. Duke Castle, a trainer for The Natural Step, contributed to this column. OTN and TNS will host their first joint class: Tech for Tomorrow: Winning the Sustainable Innovation Race June 1. For more information and to register: http://oregontrainingnetwork.com/sustainable-innovation/