Greener Choices - Sustainable Cloud Providers

As the digital age continues to expand, concerns about the environmental impact of technology have grown in parallel. Cloud computing, with its massive data centers and high energy demands, has become central to this discussion.

The Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) survey and research report by Nutanix, a multicloud computing specialist, showed that there is a growing interest in the role of IT in sustainability. According to their data, 55% of respondents believed that remote working has enhanced their company's sustainability efforts. Additionally, 44% have modernised their IT infrastructure to achieve better ecological outcomes, and 43% have prioritised compliance with sustainability measures.

With the increasing integration of AI and digital services, ethical questions surrounding technology's environmental footprint are more critical than ever. For businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), ensuring alignment with sustainable practices while embracing technological advances can be a balancing act.

Choosing the right cloud service provider can help you achieve your sustainability goals faster. Here's what to look for:

Renewable energy adoption: Data centers consume vast amounts of energy to store and manage data, which has traditionally been a major source of carbon emissions. However, the cloud computing landscape is shifting, with companies placing greater emphasis on reducing their carbon footprints. Here at PXC, our operations are powered by 100% renewable energy, part of a package of commitments that has helped us reduce operational emissions by over 58% since 2020. Choosing a cloud provider that prioritises renewable energy can significantly lower your environmental impact.

Energy efficiency: The efficiency of a data center dictates how much energy is consumed relative to the computational work it performs. Innovations in cloud services are allowing companies to reduce their energy consumption even as data traffic grows. For example, PXC reduced its energy consumption by 11% over two years, despite a 32% increase in network bandwidth during the same period, proving that energy-efficient infrastructure can handle larger workloads with fewer environmental consequences.

Organisational priorities: It's important to consider whether your cloud provider has made public commitments to reduce carbon emissions. Publicly declared pledges backed by independent reporting and assessment can help hold companies accountable to their sustainability goals, making it easier for clients to trust their commitment to decarbonising operations. PXC has validated its commitment to reducing emissions through the Science Based Targets Initiative, ensuring transparency and long-term environmental responsibility.

Ongoing focus: PXC are continuously setting goals to improve, and have undertaken a range of measures to reduce our footprint, including installing free air cooling rooms in data centres to reduce our use of refrigerants, commencing our transition to an electric vehicle fleet, and we are removing gas usage and diesel for back up generators across our data centres too. Our work has been recognised by winning the Comms National Award Sustainability category.

The rise of cloud computing doesn't have to come at the cost of the environment. With the right focus on sustainability, from renewable energy usage to energy efficiency and carbon reduction pledges, businesses can embrace digital transformation responsibly. As an SME, choosing cloud providers that prioritize these elements not only ensures compliance with sustainability measures but also positions you on the right side of the planet as an ethical and environmentally responsible entity.

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