As a result of the global growth of connectivity, primarily driven by mobile internet usage, the demand for services related to communication will continue to grow. With this demand comes an increase in the amount of energy that data centers, mobile networks, and other forms of telecommunication infrastructure consume. An important question facing service providers is: How can CSPs reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future to meet the objectives set forth by their respective corporate initiatives?

The following are steps that companies can take to become more sustainable:

1. Data centers are one of the primary sources of carbon emissions because of the significant amount of energy they use. Some examples of what CSPs can do to lessen their impact on the environment and reduce their carbon footprint include adopting energy-efficient technologies, such as using renewable energy sources, optimizing server utilization, and implementing power management solutions.

2. Reducing the overall carbon footprint by increasing the proportion of their spending that goes toward environmentally friendly products and services is another step. This involves purchasing equipment that has low impact on the environment, such as servers and switches, and selecting locations for the data center that are friendly to the environment. CSPs need to select vendors that incorporate sustainability into their product development cycles. CSPs must also consider the effects that their goods and services have on the environment not only during the phases of design and development, but also throughout the entirety of the life cycle of products.

3. CSPs and their vendors need to collaborate on the incorporation of sustainable practices into the processes of product development. This may include the implementation of technologies that are more energy-efficient, the reduction of waste, and the use of renewable energy sources.

4. Network optimization reduces overall energy consumption. Strategies focus on the amount of time that the network is down, making the configuration of the network easier to understand, and utilizing virtualization technologies to reduce the number of actual devices that are required to provide the services.

5. Opting for virtual meetings and collaborations by providing employees with video conferencing and other tools  versus travelling to meetings reduces the amount of carbon emissions that are caused by air travel.

6. Provide employee training and encourage participation to reduce their carbon footprint; this includes conversations about environmentally responsible and sustainable business practices. Encourage employees to adopt environmentally friendly behaviors both in the workplace and in their personal lives, such as using public transportation, reducing the amount of paper, and focusing on reducing waste.

CSPs have a sizeable influence on sustainability. Adopting sustainable practices and investing in green products and services are all ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint and have a more positive impact on the environment.

Contact Ray Mota at rmota@acgcc.com for more information.