Green IT is a major issue nowadays and Microsoft are taking their responsibilities very seriously.
Since 2007 Microsoft have reduced their carbon footprint making their business, products and services more sustainable. The process of reducing any company’s carbon footprint is invariably ongoing and there is always a long way to go. However Microsoft received certification under the Carbon Trust Standard in April 2010.
To achieve certification from the Carbon Trust companies must undergo a strict assessment process and the Carbon Trust Standard is recognised in the UK as one of the early action processes for the new Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme. The Carbon Trust Standard is only available to companies who have reduced their carbon emissions by being proactive.
Microsoft has become more sustainable by reducing long and short haul business travel, reducing unnecessary face-to-face meetings and making the most of technology to find practical and energy efficient alternatives such as Unified Communications and video-conferencing. Microsoft have also adapted their buildings so that for example power is shut off to some buildings after hours.
Microsoft are encouraging business and individual customers to use cloud based technology, this consolidates power and data storage requirements which provides higher standards of energy efficiency. An example being Microsoft’s data centre in Eire which opened in late 2009 consuming less electricity than other data centres which are just three years old.