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IT and sustainability departments do not yet speak the same language

December 18th, 2024
By: Conclusion

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Sustainability and digitization research report

The collaboration between IT and sustainability departments within organizations still leaves much to be desired. Although more than half of IT decision-makers (52%) indicate that contact between departments is good, it appears that only 35% of sustainability decision-makers believes that both departments understand each other well. 

Working together on sustainability

There is a willingness to work together. More than half (54%) of IT influencers are happy to work with the sustainability department to make the IT landscape more sustainable. Among sustainability influencers, this figure is 43%. Both groups expect proactivity from each other: six in ten (62%) IT professionals expect the sustainability department to come up with suggestions, while half (52%) of sustainability influencers rely on initiatives from IT.

Greater need for appreciation and understanding

Although the will to collaborate is there, many sustainability influencers see room for improvement. As many as four in ten (39%) believe their department deserves more appreciation, and surprisingly, 45% of IT decision-makers share that opinion. This is particularly endorsed in organizations with a sustainability strategy: 56% believe that the sustainability department deserves more appreciation, compared to only 18% in organizations without one.

Organizations with a sustainability strategy also work better together. Only 10% of decision-makers at these organizations experience collaboration as difficult, while this percentage rises to almost a quarter (23%) at organizations without a sustainability strategy.

Pim van Asch, Sustainability Manager at Conclusion: "IT and sustainability departments do not yet speak the same language and that hampers progress. That's a shame because the two departments need each other to not only create more transparency but also to reduce the negative impact of IT and thus contribute to a more sustainable future. Yet there's hope: the figures show there is a willingness to collaborate. Organizations with a clear sustainability strategy are already achieving better results in collaboration. Opening the dialogue is the first step towards a shared language and a more sustainable future."

"Opening the dialogue is the first step towards a shared language and a more sustainable future."

-Pim van Asch, Sustainability Manager at Conclusion

The study was conducted on behalf of Conclusion by MarktEffect. In total, 859 respondents participated. They were influencers and decision-makers in IT (N=529) and in sustainability (N=330) within organizations with at least 10 FTE.

Research reportSustainability and digitalization

IT and sustainability are inextricably linked. But what about the collaboration between IT and sustainability in organizations? We presented the same statements to sustainability and IT influencers and decision-makers within Dutch organizations.