# Green Cloud: one way your company can commit to sustainability
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-29
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: How Cloud Migration Can Aid Organisations in Achieving
Meta Description: Learn how migrating to the Cloud can improve cost efficiencies, increase productivity, and support sustainability efforts. Find out more from Gordon Cullum at
URL: https://financedigest.com/green-cloud-one-way-your-company-can-commit-to-sustainabilityhtml

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**_Gordon Cullum_** _from Axiologik reveals how migrating to the Cloud can aid organisations in their efforts towards sustainability_

In today’s evolving world, there are many reasons why organisations should have green thinking core to their strategy and values. And when it comes to the development of technology, Cloud and Sustainable IT choices can aid cost and productivity efficiencies in addition to supporting a more flexible, scalable technology stack.

There are a number of other reasons organisations might give for wanting to migrate to the cloud: they may want to reduce CapEx and flatten their investment curve, or they may want to tap into another promise of [cloud computing:](https://www.financedigest.com/how-hybrid-cloud-computing-offers-the-best-of-all-worlds.html "How hybrid cloud computing offers the best of all worlds") that it can help organisations become more sustainable. But how? Here, Gordon Cullum, Technology Director at Axiologik, explains more.

**Who is committing to sustainability?**

Large Cloud vendors like AWS, Azure and GCP are major [consumers of power](https://www.financedigest.com/gumgum-powers-into-europe-as-new-research-shows-consumers-reject-behavioural-ads.html "GumGum Powers into Europe as New Research Shows Consumers Reject Behavioural Ads") and water (for cooling), and they have all made sustainability commitments. For example, Microsoft has said that it will use 100% renewable energy by 2025 and be completely carbon neutral by the end of the decade. AWS and GCP have slightly different timescales, but the direction of travel is set.

Renewable [energy and recycling are becoming watchwords for the industry](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-considers-energy-bill-subsidy-for-industrial-firms.html "Britain considers energy bill subsidy for industrial firms"). And for organisations, [Cloud migration could be a major step](https://www.financedigest.com/3-steps-to-combat-cloud-outages.html "3 Steps to Combat Cloud Outages") towards more sustainable operations in itself.

Azure, AWS and GCP have the time, influence, and economies of scale to make sustainability a priority, but few organisations operating small in-house [data centres](https://www.financedigest.com/keysource-awarded-major-contract-to-design-nationwide-network-of-data-centres-throughout-china.html "KEYSOURCE AWARDED MAJOR CONTRACT TO DESIGN  NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF DATA CENTRES THROUGHOUT CHINA") can say the same.

**How can [migrating to the Cloud](https://www.financedigest.com/a-cloud-migration-guide-for-financial-institutions.html "A Cloud Migration Guide for Financial Institutions") help you become greener?**

Promoting [remote work](https://www.financedigest.com/shoring-up-cyber-defences-in-the-remote-working-era.html "Shoring up cyber defences in the remote working era")

Cloud’s access-anywhere capability makes [remote work](https://www.financedigest.com/the-psychology-of-long-term-remote-working-productivity-vs-inclusivity.html "The psychology of long-term remote working: Productivity vs. Inclusivity") more effective, and a well-planned remote or semi-remote (hybrid) working model reduces commuting journeys for staff. That’s as true as it is for your IT team as it is your Marketing or Sales department. With Cloud, even Software Engineers can code from anywhere.

[Cloud concentrates computing](https://www.financedigest.com/the-value-of-cloud-computing.html "The Value of Cloud Computing") demand, making sustainability strategies easier to apply

Nor do you have to maintain an in-house data centre. The big providers’ [carbon footprint](https://www.financedigest.com/ecb-can-cut-carbon-footprint-by-shedding-bonds-of-biggest-polluters.html "ECB can cut carbon footprint by shedding bonds of biggest polluters") may be significant (for the moment, at least), but it is still considerably smaller than the footprints of thousands of organisations running their own in-house compute and storage operations.

**Migrating to the Cloud isn’t the silver bullet**

Having said all that, Cloud migration shouldn’t be seen as a silver bullet for sustainability. The concept of piggybacking on the big three providers’ environmental commitments is problematic in several ways: for a start, it relies on Azure, AWS, and GCP meeting their targets, which may be a leap of faith.

Of course, [customer expectations and growing regulatory demand give cloud providers](https://www.financedigest.com/banks-can-provide-a-protective-shield-to-defend-customers-from-cyber-attack.html "Banks can provide a protective shield to defend customers from cyber attack") good reason to stick to sustainability commitments, but a promise to do something is not a guarantee that it will happen. Good intentions are not always enough.

On top of that, simply moving to the cloud isn’t enough on its own. It’s not just your choice of [cloud platform that determines the sustainability of your computing](https://www.financedigest.com/embracing-cloud-computing-how-and-why-organisations-are-set-to-invest-more-in-cloud-computing-in-2023.html "Embracing Cloud Computing: How and why organisations are set to invest more in cloud computing in 2023"), it’s also how efficiently you use that infrastructure.

Cloud migrations can be highly inefficient if they’re not done properly. We’ve seen [cloud databases](https://www.financedigest.com/oracle-offers-its-mysql-heatwave-database-and-analytics-on-amazons-cloud.html "Oracle offers its MySQL HeatWave database and analytics on Amazon’s cloud") that nobody has connected to for months running at 2% of utilisation. That’s a huge waste of virtual and physical resources.

As far as sustainability goes, Cloud works if it’s optimised for what you want it to do. If you’re writing efficient, cloud-ready code, you’re [creating sustainability](https://www.financedigest.com/creating-sustainable-value-through-responsible-investment.html "Creating sustainable value through responsible investment"). If you’re writing 50 lines where two will do, you’re using [Cloud in an unsustainable way](https://www.financedigest.com/7-ways-cloud-technology-can-transform-business-finances.html "7 ways cloud technology can transform business finances"). [Cloud is a clever technology](https://www.financedigest.com/the-benefits-of-adopting-cloud-technology-in-the-finance-industry.html "The benefits of adopting cloud technology in the finance industry") that can reduce your carbon footprint if your development processes and engineering are tailored to the platform. If not, the environmental impact may be negligible.

**How do you measure [impact of your own Cloud](https://www.financedigest.com/tomorrows-world-how-cloud-computing-will-impact-the-financial-services-sector-in-2016.html "TOMORROW’S WORLD: HOW CLOUD COMPUTING WILL IMPACT THE FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR IN 2016") migration?**

There is little in the [way of conformity when it comes to measuring the sustainability](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-sustain-productivity-when-the-clocks-go-back.html "5 ways to sustain productivity when the clocks go back") of Cloud computing. Given that cloud adoption is accelerating at a dizzying pace, that’s something that has to be addressed. Organisations and authorities need to come together and decide on a series of measurable [sustainability KPIs](https://www.financedigest.com/which-kpis-should-a-budding-business-focus-on-for-sustained-growth.html "Which KPIs should a budding business focus on for sustained growth?") relevant to the industry.

In the meantime, you can use more familiar metrics as proxies for the sustainability of your cloud strategies. If your [cloud migration is driving down costs associated with compute](https://www.financedigest.com/enterprise-training-and-the-future-of-cloud-computing.html "Enterprise Training and the Future of Cloud Computing") and storage, it’s almost certainly reducing your carbon footprint at the same time. If it’s facilitating a successful [hybrid working](https://www.financedigest.com/how-has-hybrid-working-impacted-the-gender-gap.html "How has hybrid working impacted the gender gap?") policy, the same is likely to be true.

**Make sustainability a core** [organisational value](https://www.financedigest.com/adding-value-to-your-organisation-by-attracting-top-gen-z-finance-professionals.html "Adding value to your organisation by attracting top Gen Z finance professionals")

Don’t [pay lip service](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-finance-consumer-services.html "Best Paying Jobs in Finance Consumer Services") to it: make environmental and social impact a consideration in every decision you make.

With Cloud migration, it won’t be the only consideration and it may not even be a priority. Most [organisations approach the Cloud](https://www.financedigest.com/cloud-migration-for-financial-services-organisations-whats-the-best-approach.html "Cloud Migration for Financial Services Organisations – What’s the best approach?") with an operational goal in mind, whether that’s reducing customer churn or simplifying management processes.

But how you go about Cloud adoption can make the difference between a sustainable and environmentally [wasteful strategy](https://www.financedigest.com/france-seeks-strategy-as-nuclear-waste-site-risks-saturation-point.html "France seeks strategy as nuclear waste site risks saturation point"). Choose a provider with transparent and measurable green commitments. Choose partners that can help you write efficient Cloud-native code.  Understand that [Cloud is a journey](https://www.financedigest.com/why-finance-professionals-must-bank-on-a-journey-to-the-cloud.html "Why finance professionals must bank on a journey to the cloud"), not a destination, and commit to continual iterative improvement.

The great thing here is that, if you get it right, it’s win-win. As global sustainability targets creep closer, going [green will be an increasingly important](https://www.financedigest.com/leaders-recognise-the-importance-of-green-transport-at-cop27-but-we-need-data.html "Leaders recognise the importance of green transport at COP27, but we need data") point of difference. Start your sustainable [Cloud journey now and steal a march on the competition](https://www.financedigest.com/three-ways-the-data-cloud-can-keep-financial-services-competitive.html "Three Ways the Data Cloud Can Keep Financial Services Competitive").

**_Author Bio:_**

_Gordon began his tech career over 20 years ago and has helped to deliver multiple large-scale [digital transformation](https://www.financedigest.com/redefining-the-human-touch-with-data-driven-digital-transformation.html "Redefining the human touch with data-driven digital transformation") programmes, including developing the first iteration of “The Spine” – the IT infrastructure which underpins health and social care systems in the UK._


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