Collaboration between IT and sustainability departments: room for improvement

Willingness to collaborate

Despite the gaps in understanding, there is a strong willingness to collaborate. Over half (54%) of IT influencers express interest in working together with sustainability teams to make their IT landscape more sustainable. Similarly, 43% of sustainability influencers share this interest. Both groups expect proactive engagement: 62% of IT professionals expect sustainability teams to present proposals, while 52% of sustainability influencers anticipate initiatives from IT.

Need for appreciation and understanding

While collaboration intentions are present, many sustainability influencers feel there's room for improvement. A significant 39% believe their department deserves more recognition, a sentiment shared by 45% of IT decision-makers. This perception is particularly strong in organizations with a sustainability strategy, where 56% feel their sustainability teams deserve more appreciation, compared to just 18% in companies without such a strategy. Additionally, organizations with a sustainability strategy tend to collaborate better. Only 10% of decision-makers in these organizations report difficult collaboration, while this figure rises to nearly 23% in those without a sustainability strategy.

Conclusion

Pim van Asch, Sustainability Manager at Conclusion, emphasizes, “IT and sustainability departments do not yet speak the same language, which hinders progress. This is unfortunate because the two departments need each other to not only create more transparency but also reduce the negative impact of IT, contributing to a more sustainable future. However, there is hope: the data shows a willingness to collaborate. Organizations with a clear sustainability strategy are already achieving better results in teamwork. Starting the conversation is the first step toward a shared language and a more sustainable future.”