Enterprises in Ireland are spending an average of €1.3m per year on green technology, a survey from IT services provider Auxilion has found.
Overall nearly €1bn is being spent annually by larger companies and enterprises across Ireland on technology intended to mitigate or reverse the effects of human activity on the environment.
The study, conducted by Censuswide among 100 IT decision-markers at Irish firms employing more than 250 people, found that 74% of enterprises are already using green tech, 11 percentage points ahead of the UK in terms of green technology adoption.
Some 91% of respondents have already or will invest in AI-driven sustainability solutions over the next two years, and 82% said that AI has a significant role to play in helping to meet sustainability targets.
Nearly eight in 10 IT leaders (78%) believe cloud technology is important for achieving ESG goals, and there was a 12-point increase year-on-year in companies implementing cloud for its environmental benefits (71% versus 83%).
Around 86% agree that sustainability is key to business growth, and 77% confirmed it is a key differentiator when choosing a vendor. Sustainability is a priority for 83% of organisations compared to 75% a year ago.
Furthermore, operating sustainably is becoming a huge difference-maker when it comes to talent. Two in five (40%) IT leaders said they would leave their current role to work for a company that is known for leading on sustainability, while 81% agreed that it is crucial for recruitment and retention.
“As shown by this research and our recently released report, it is really positive to see organisations putting their money where their mouth is by investing in green technology to help the environment and reduce their carbon footprints,” said Donal O’Sullivan, CTO of Auxilion.
“With sustainability only set to grow in importance across the value chain, businesses also need to leverage technologies – from AI to cloud – and service providers which enable them to support their sustainability goals and meet targets.
“Going green also makes business sense in terms of attracting customers and talent, thus driving growth and futureproofing operations. As we move steadily towards a more environmentally conscious era of doing business and where a failure to be eco-friendly could cause businesses to lose out, we expect the investment in green technology to rise even further.
“However, organisations need to be smart when it comes to this investment to ensure they get the real value of and can make a real impact with these technologies.”
(Pic: Getty Images)
