Environmental initiatives save money: IBM   |  May 27, 2009  

Businesses worldwide are beginning to think environmentally, realizing that being green creates a noticeable impact on the bottom line, according to a new global study from IBM. Specifically, it showed mid-sized organizations are combatting the economic downturn by implementing environmentally sound policies.

In 65 per cent of surveyed organizations, goals set for green IT initiatives were met or surpassed. The three most popular areas were storage consolidation, remote conferencing and telecommuting projects, which all returned both immediate cost reductions and environmental benefits.

“This study demonstrates the clear connection between meeting environmental goals, reducing expenses and driving change that can foster innovation and growth,” said Marc Dupaquier, general manager of global midmarket sales for IBM.

The study found that companies often fell into one of four categories:

1. Green Advocates: a quarter of all companies, they incorporate green ideas and processes into all aspects of the business.
2. Smart Spenders: companies that invest money upfront for long-term cost reductions.
3. Green Observers: they don’t have specific environmental goals, and need management to implement green ideas.
4. Green Seekers: the companies that wish to change their impact on the environment, but don’t know where to start or what to expect.

The full survey is available at http://bit.ly/ibmit.