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Sustainability in ICT (Digital)

The Community on Sustainability in ICT drives Europe's green and digital transformation by promoting sustainable public procurement and eco-friendly ICT practices.

News article11 February 2025

ICT Procurement for a Sustainable Future: Challenges and Strategies

Picture from the training

ICT Procurement for a Sustainable Future: Challenges and Strategies 

As digital technologies become ever more embedded in our daily lives, the question of their sustainability becomes increasingly urgent. What comes to mind when thinking about sustainability in ICT? Minerals extraction? Energy consumption? E-waste?  

The rapid digitalisation of our work habits has led to an increasing demand for digital tools, raising serious concerns about sustainability and circularity. However, sustainability in ICT is not about addressing a single issue—it requires tackling a multitude of interconnected challenges, from the substances, to climate, circularity and supply chain. Each of these areas presents unique challenges that must be considered to minimize the environmental and social impacts of ICT products. 

In terms of substances, the ICT industry relies on a vast range of chemicals and materials, many of which are not fully assessed for their environmental or health risks. With over 350,000 substances in the chemical market—of which only 1% have been risk-assessed—the industry is operating in largely unknown territory. The European Union’s REACH regulation provides some oversight, but it still falls short in terms of limiting hazardous substances in digital products. 

When it comes to climate, the energy consumption involved in the production and use of ICT products significantly contributes to global CO₂ emissions. The IT sector alone accounts for 4% of global emissions. Measuring these emissions is particularly challenging, as they span across three different scopes: direct emissions from organizational activities, energy consumption during product use, and indirect emissions embedded in the supply chain. Furthermore, the complexity of carbon footprint calculations makes it difficult to compare the environmental impact of different ICT products fairly. 

Circularity is another critical area, focusing on the shift from a linear consumption model to one that prioritizes long-lasting, reusable products. However, challenges persist in terms of recycling—particularly with e-waste, where less than 20% is formally collected and recycled. Moreover, the use of rare and critical materials in devices, such as smartphones, adds to the complexity, as these resources are limited and often difficult to recover at the end of a product's life. 

Lastly, the supply chain remains one of the most challenging areas. The greatest impacts of ICT products often lie hidden within the supply chain, where manufacturers use different indicators to measure environmental impact, making product comparisons difficult. Additionally, issues such as energy consumption in factories, the type of electricity used (renewable or fossil), and the ethical concerns around labor conditions and materials sourcing must all be considered. 

Public procurement professionals face challenges in embedding sustainability into their practices, often due to a lack of standardized indicators for measuring the environmental impact of ICT products. Carbon footprint calculations frequently rely on generalized data, complicating product comparisons. In addition, different methodologies exist for measuring CO₂ emissions, each using varying assumptions and system boundaries, making it difficult to establish a consistent benchmark. Moreover, rapid software updates can render hardware obsolete prematurely, shortening product lifespans and increasing waste. 

To navigate these challenges, there are several tactics that public authorities can implement. These include requesting greater transparency from suppliers on the substances used in production, setting criteria for longer product lifetimes, and using Type I ecolabels to ensure compliance with high environmental and social standards. By integrating a comprehensive set of sustainability requirements, public procurement can become a powerful tool for driving positive change in the ICT sector. 

More information about the training and its key outcomes can be found in the report published in the CoP space dedicated to its members  here

Check out some testimonies from participants here!

The four areas of focus (circularity, climate, substances and supply chain)  are retrieved from the Roadmap to sustainable IT developed by TCO Development. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the main discussions and topics covered during the event. Readers are invited to check out more information directly on TCO Development website here. 

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