How green is your IT really? A reality check for decision-makers

The IT world talks a lot about sustainability - from energy-efficient data centers to the circular economy for hardware. But how green is your IT strategy really? Many companies underestimate how much CO₂ is hidden in the life cycle of their IT or how the procurement of devices affects environmental and social standards.

In this article, we examine whether your IT is as sustainable as it could be. With clear facts, concrete questions and practical approaches, we give you the tools to re-evaluate your IT.

1. The invisible carbon footprint: IT hardware in focus

Already known? An average business laptop generates around 1,000 kg of CO2 over its lifetime, depending on the model. 200 to 400 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent (according to manufacturers’ product CO₂ balance sheets). Often more than 70 % of these emissions occur during the production phase. Nevertheless, many companies primarily focus on energy consumption during operation – an important but not the only decisive factor.

Reality check

• Are sustainability criteria taken into account in your hardware procurement?
• Do you have processes in place to recycle or resell devices at the end of their life cycle?

Tip: Remarketing of used IT equipment not only reduces electronic waste, but also extends the useful life and saves resources. Find out more about sustainable IT remarketing approaches here.

2. Energy efficiency ≠ sustainability: data centers and cloud solutions

Migration to the cloud is considered an environmentally friendly solution. However, not all cloud services are equally green. The energy consumption of data centers now accounts for around 1.5 % % of global electricity consumption from (International Energy Agency, 2024) – a strong upward trend, not least due to AI applications.

Reality check

• Do you use cloud providers that work with renewable energies?
• Did you optimize your on-premise infrastructure before you switched to cloud services?

TipCertifications and labels such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ISO 50001 (Energy Management) or the Blue Angel for Data Centers can provide guidance. Additionally, the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEfG) requires operators of larger data centers in Germany to meet efficiency and transparency requirements.

3. Circular economy in IT: from waste to resource

Only 22,3 % All of the electronic waste generated worldwide was properly collected and recycled in 2022 (Global E-Waste Monitor 2024) – a huge potential remains untapped. Materials such as gold, silver, and rare earths from old devices can be recovered.

Reality check

• Do you have clear guidelines for returning and reusing old IT hardware?
• Work with certified partners to ensure the BSI-compliant data erasure ensure?

TipA professional lifecycle management approach ensures that devices are recycled or reused in a resource-efficient manner.

4. The social aspect: sustainability is more than environmental friendliness

A green IT strategy also means taking social standards into account. The mining of raw materials such as cobalt or lithium is often associated with human rights violations.

Reality check

• Do you pay attention to supply chain transparency and fair working conditions when procuring hardware?
• Do you purchase appliances from suppliers who have environmental and social standards certified?

5. Your reality check to tick off

The more of these points are met, the greener your IT is:

Area	Verification question	Okay, if…
Procurement	Sustainability criteria in purchasing?	Repairability, labels and return are included in the tender.
Use	How long do laptops and PCs last?	Exchange is done as needed, not only according to the cycle.
Operation	Where does the electricity come from?	Green electricity and measured efficiency.
Aussonderung	What happens with old devices?	The functioning ones are sold on.
Data protection	Is every deletion recorded?	The certificate of destruction is based on a serial number.
Reporting	Is IT included in the CO₂ balance?	Evidence and environmental balance sheets are available.

Second IT provides destruction certificates, recycling and disposal certificates, as well as an annual individual environmental balance. The data destruction process is powered by solar power from our own production. More information can be found on our website. Sustainability and at the certified data deletion.

Conclusion: sustainability is a process, not an end goal

Creating truly green IT requires regular review and adjustment of your strategy. The key is to take a holistic view of all phases of the IT lifecycle - from procurement to operation and disposal.

Do you want to make your IT more sustainable? Start with an honest reality check and get support from experts who specialize in the circular economy and certified data solutions.

More on the topic: Scope-3 emissions: Why your IT hardware is included and Laptop written off? Why it’s still worth money.

Frequently asked questions about green IT

What does "green IT" mean?

Green IT – also known as Green IT – encompasses all measures that reduce the environmental footprint of information technology. These include sustainable procurement, energy-efficient operation, and longer life cycles for devices. Equally important is a clean end-of-life cycle: reuse before recycling. Green IT therefore applies not only to data centers but to every workplace.

How do I measure how sustainable our IT is?

Start with simple metrics: number of devices, average lifespan, proportion of reused devices, and power consumption. Many manufacturers publish CO₂ balances for their models that you can calculate yourself. For the greenhouse gas balance, purchased devices are included in Scope 3, while electricity is included in Scope 2. Proofs from your remarketing partner complement the data for the end-of-life phase.

Is used IT really more sustainable than new, energy-efficient devices?

In the case of workplace equipment, it usually is, because manufacturing dominates the footprint and new devices only save a small amount of power in operation. In the case of very old servers, an exchange for efficiency reasons may be worthwhile. Then the old hardware should be resold and not scrapped. In this way, another user can use it, and the production of another new device is avoided.