- Nine in ten UK IT managers recognize sustainability as a growing business priority.
- Two in three people are concerned about rising costs, putting pressure on them amid sustainability efforts.
- Upcoming sustainability reports could help them make more informed decisions
Limited budgets are limiting progress on sustainable development, a new Flexera report noted, shortly after the end of COP30.
Most (93%) of UK IT leaders say they see sustainability as a growing business priority, but they face headwinds across their technology stacks and, more broadly, preventing them from going green.
For example, two in three (68%) people worry that rising cloud costs will put a strain on their budget. Half (48%) also said the volume of cost and usage data they receive overwhelms them.
Is sustainability too expensive for businesses?
Cloud, AI and other data center-related services are already under global scrutiny due to their use of energy and other resources, like water for cooling. High emissions are also a major concern for the sector and, although efficiency improvements aim to somewhat counteract this problem, growing demand is outpacing these improvements.
The UK’s upcoming sustainability reporting standards, due to come into force in 2026, could require more detailed reporting on climate risks, energy use and emissions. Greater transparency could ultimately help IT leaders make more informed decisions.
“Right now, IT leaders are faced with increasing bills and data that doesn’t add up to a clear story,” said Marlon Oliver, senior vice president of Flexera EMEA.
With UK businesses set to be affected by new reporting requirements, they will be forced to consider the footprint of technology operations beyond Scope 1, namely internal emissions.
While reporting alone won’t solve the growing cost crisis, more transparency and reporting available to IT leaders will at least help them make more informed decisions about the partners they choose.
“Without full visibility into what their technology assets cost, consume and emit, companies cannot clearly determine whether investments in cloud and AI are advancing or undermining their climate goals,” concluded Oliver.
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