# C R E AT E I T
Green Business Is Smart
As global IT firms lead the way in alleviating the consequences of climate change, technology acts as their primary tool in lifting the burden on the environment. IT firms are also among the first companies setting their own rules for reducing their carbon footprint. An environmental audit is always the first step.
large corporations to give climate responsibility about 20% of the weight in these decisions, making it a clear competitive advantage. “Corporations are sending signals to the market and their suppliers that this is an important topic not only for society as a whole, but for business as well,” he adds. Another reason for pragmatic firms to get on board involves rising costs, often leading companies to switch to electromobility. In other words, sustainability is a way to cut costs.
Sustainability is a major buzzword for the business sector today. More and more companies are thinking about how their actions affect the environment. Cleverlance is the first Czech tech firm to hold an environmental audit. “Global IT firms are leading the way and setting standards in this arena. Tech firms in the Czech Republic have not been as active in this regard as one might expect,” commented Petr Žákovec, an expert in corporate sustainability who supports companies transitioning to sustainable business models.
Sustainability is important in all areas of society, which applies in this country as well. Polling by the STEM Institute (a private Czech sociological research organization) indicated that 84% of the Czech public agrees that human-caused climate change poses a threat to our future. Nine out of 10 agree that without reducing emissions we will not be able to protect against drought and forest death. Thus it can hardly be argued that we are a nation of climate skeptics. When a company decides to take steps to reduce its carbon emissions, it sends its employees, clients and society in general a message that this company is thinking about the impact its business has on the world. This company wants to listen to its people and, to a certain extent, even have a positive influence on the undecided by investing in worthwhile projects to help improve the environment. “Whatever companies choose to do, it should always be believable and fit in with their corporate culture. It should fit with the kind of people at that company,” recommends Žákovec. It always pays off to first find out what people at the company prefer. “Start getting a feel for people’s mood and expectations. Always try to build support from within,” he continues.
Cleverlance held a carbon audit in compliance with ISO 14064. Audits are essentially a means of measuring how much carbon emissions a company produces. The good thing, according to Žákovec, is that companies can measure and track their emissions over time as well as assessing the impact of any measures taken. This is a strong argument for companies that take a more pragmatic approach as well. “We see that the world is changing. Acting responsibly and trying to reduce your carbon emissions now play a greater role in awarding contracts,” explains Žákovec. These days it is not unusual for
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