Agefi Luxembourg - décembre 2024

AGEFI Luxembourg 46 Décembre 2024 Informatique financière By Sebastien GENCO, Partner, Dorine PETIT,Manager&MostaphaRAMADAN, SeniorManager, Deloitte Luxembourg W ith environmental concerns, energy and IT waste disposal costs, and regulatory and reporting require- ments on the rise, businesses are in- creasingly considering a shift toward environmentally friendly information and communication technologies (ICT), commonly known as green ICT. This article explores howgreen ICTpractices candirectly translate into financial benefits and cost-saving initiatives for businesses, delving into various strategies and real-world examples. Adopting green ICT practices can both boost organizations’ “environmental friendliness”andleadtosubstantialshort- andlong-termcostreductions,suchasby lowering energy consumption. While transitioningtogreenICTmayrequirean initial investment, its benefits are likely to deliverpositivereturns,includingenergy savings anda longer equipment lifespan. Forexample,optimizingserverresources and virtualizing hardware reduces oper- ational costs by boosting efficiency and slashing energy consumption, while dig- ital platforms, electronic applications and e-services shrink organizations’ paper usage. Switching from on-premise data centers to cloud providers also lowers costs through improved energy effi- ciency, assuming the cloud provider of- fers dynamic scaling and uses energy-efficient technologies and renew- able energy sources. Green ICT’s key cost-saving drivers Organizations implementing green ICT practices can enjoy significant financial benefits, enabling themto: - Reduce energy consumption: imple- menting an energy-efficient ICT infras- tructure can significantly lower organizations’ electricity bills, shrinking their operational expenses and boosting their overall financial performance. - Obtain government assistance: Luxem- bourg offers a range of tax incentives and grants to businesses investing in green technologies,includinggreenICT.Oneex- ampleisthenew18%taxcreditforinvest- ment in digital and green projects, which encourages the sustainable digital trans- formationof Luxembourg businesses. - Create innovative business opportuni- ties: embracing green ICT can spark the development of new, greener products andservicesthatmeetthemarket’sgrow- ing demand for sustainable solutions, at- tracting more clients and increasing revenue as a result. - Monitor IT resources consumption and usage: beyond monitoring these re- sources’ CO2 emissions, organizations can also track the cost of their IT equip- ment and operations and identify areas for optimization. - Improve brand image: adopting green ICT practices can enhance a company’s reputation, boosting customer loyalty and, potentially, revenue. Green ICT cost-reduction initiatives Organizations can start implementing the following green ICT “quick wins” today to achieve short-term and direct cost savings. 1. Use energy-efficient, multifunctional end-user devices Leveraging energy-efficient end-user de- vices can significantly slash energy con- sumption compared to standarddevices, allowing for long-term cost savings. For example, end-user devices that are EN- ERGYSTAR certifieddue to their energy efficiency, power saving and lower e- wastecapabilitiesconsumeupto40%less energy than a standard end-user device, reducing CO2 emissions and energy costs. Implementing simple, sustainable device management techniques and set- tings, such as automatic sleep and standby modes, can also reduce energy usage by up to 50%, as well as related maintenance costs. (1) Finally, companies should aim to use shared printers and scanners rather than individual ones to save costs and energy consumption. 2.Optimizeyourdatacentermanagement Implementinggreenhardware and soft- ware in data centers, such as environ- mentally friendly network devices, servers, databases and operating sys- tems, can save energy by reducing en- ergy consumption, data processing and storage needs. Additionally, reviewing anddecommissioningunusedhardware can slash energy consumption and maintenance costs, as well as free up physical rack space. Leveraging effective data center cooling techniques like liquid cooling, free-air cooling and good airflow management practices can also reduce expenses. For example, a European provider of cloud- neural colocationdata center serviceshas successfully implemented advanced cooling systems, resulting in a 20% en- ergy consumption reduction and im- proved operational performance. E-waste policies for data centers can also generate savings through sustainable hardware decommissioning. For exam- ple, a leading enterprise IT companyhas set up Technology Renewal Centers to refurbish and resell enterprise equip- ment, achieving a reuse or resale rate of approximately90%andsupportinga cir- cular economy. 3. Implement effective ITwastedisposal Organizations that leverage ITwaste dis- posal strategies can decrease IT costs, in- cluding: -Reuseprogramscansignificantlyreduce organizations’ IT waste sent for disposal. A leading mobile network operator and internet service provider launched a pro- gram to shrink its network equipment’s environmental footprint by reusing and refurbishing over 246,000 network and business-to-consumer (B2C) equipment items. The programsaved severalmillion euros in its first year. -Recyclingprogramsdecreasethevolume ofITwastesenttolandfillsandcangener- ate revenue through the sale of recyclable ITmaterials. - Regular waste audits identify areas wherewastereductioneffortscanbemost effective and reveal cost-saving opportu- nities. Pinpointing andaddressingwaste- ful practices can generate significant financial benefits, including reducedpro- curement costs andwaste disposal fees. -Regularcontractnegotiationsenablebet- ter rates and terms of organizations’ IT wastedisposalcontracts,guaranteeingthe provided service alignswith their current requirements. - Employee training and awareness pro- gramspromotetheimportanceofe-waste reduction and proper IT waste manage- ment practices. The Luxembourgish gov- ernment provides a comprehensive lifelong learning portal, which includes over 12,000 courses offered by approxi- mately 310 approved training bodies across a range of domains. (2) -Regulatorycompliancewithwastelegis- lation, such as the EU’s Waste Electrical andElectronicEquipment(WEEE)Direc- tive,ensuresorganizationsavoidpotential fines andpenalties. - Partnering with suppliers canminimize packaging e-waste anduncover opportu- nities for packaging optimization. For ex- ample, suppliers may provide more readily recyclable materials or electronics designed for easier disassembly. 4. Extend equipment life Implementing sustainable ICT practices lengthens the lifespan of equipment, de- laying replacement costs andreducingan organization’s environmental impact. Extending a device’s longevity by even one year leads to significant cost savings for businesses. Here are some key tips: -Updateandmaintainsoftware regularly to ensure technology devices remain op- erational, secure and perform optimally over time. -Handleandmaintaindevicescarefullyto prolongtheirlifespanandensuretopper- formance, such as using protective cases forsmartphonesandregularlycleaningIT devices. - Upgrade and repurpose devices to ex- tend their longevity and maximize their value, such as adding more memory or storage capacity to seamlessly handle newer softwareandapplications, or reuse themin a newcapacity. 5.Adopt green coding Reducing the energy required to process code benefits the environment and offers significant cost savings. One of green de- velopment’skeyobjectivesisefficientcod- ing, which reduces the processing power and energy consumption of software ap- plications. By optimizing old code, refin- ing logic and removing unnecessary queries, companies can cut technical debt andonly fetch requireddata. The benefits of green ICTpractices go be- yond a positive environmental impact to unlockcost-savingopportunitiesforbusi- nesses. Incorporatinggreen ICT intoyour organization is a strategic decision that combines environmental care with smart financial planning, boosting your growth andprogress. Contact us to kick off your sustainable and profitable green ICT journey to efficientlymeet your adoption ob- jectives and cost-reduction targets. 1) ENERGY STAR, “Computers,” accessed 19 November 2024. 2)Lifelon g-learning.lu ,“Developyourskillsthroughoutlife,” accessed19November2024. Financial benefits of green ICT: Asmart business decision that balances sustainability and profitability O nNovember 19, 2024, the EuropeanConvention Center Luxembourg be- came the epicenter of innovation and reflectionduring the highly anticipatedTNTSymposium2024. With the overarching “Back to the future” theme, this year’s edition brought together thought leaders, visionaries, and enthusiasts to cele- brate the journey of technology and envision its future. Adeepdive into technology’s past, present, and future The event commencedwith awarmwel- comefrom KamelAmroune ,CEOofThe Dots and Laurent Couturier , CIO of Ar- macell and THECIO24, and the confer- enceMaster of Ceremony. Their opening wordssetthestageforadayofinspiration and exploration. LaurentCouturier welcomedthefirsttwo esteemed experts to the stage for a capti- vatingjourneythroughthehistoryoftech- nology. Emmanuel Lazard , Associate professor of computer science at Paris- Dauphine-PSL University, and Pierre Mounier-Kuhn , Historian at CNRS and at the University of Paris-Sorbonne pro- vided a compelling perspective on the evolutionoftechnology,revisitingitsearly days and challenging common myths. From the origins of computers and the birthof the Internet to theminiaturization of tools into smartphones, they high- lighted how innovation has continuously reshapedourworld. After this exploration of the past, Dr. MaximeDerian , Researcher, Consultant, Entrepreneur and Co-founder of Tech- noréalisme.org ,transportedusintothefu- ture. Drawing on examples from science fiction such as Blade Runner, Mad Max, and Terminator, he explored our visions of the future and raised critical questions abouttheenvironment,resources,andthe technological challenges of tomorrow. MaximeDerian was then joinedby Em- manuel Lazard and Pierre Mounier- Kuhn for an enthralling round table, moderated by Laurent Couturier . To- gether, they explored how not all inno- vations become transformative, highlighting the potential of revisiting past ideas for solutions like enhanced in- ternet security. They also discussed the Grand-Duchéuniqueposition,emphasiz- ingtheimportanceofagility,collaboration, andleveragingbothpastandfutureinno- vations to accelerate technological devel- opment, despite its size constraints. As Emmanuel Lazard said: “Today, we often look to the past, but too oftenwith the in- tentionofreturningtoitratherthanusingitas a source of inspiration to shape the future. I would be cautious about focusing toomuch on thepast,eventhoughPierreandIholditinhigh regard, not to draw ideas from it, but to better envision the future.” Another memorable moment of the eveningwas the “What if” session, ledby studentsfrom LuxembourgTechSchool . With their youthful creativity, they trans- ported us to 2055, exploring today’s hot tech trends through the lens of a future generation, sparking thoughtful reflec- tionson the responsibleuseof technology and its impact onhuman connections. Awards and celebrations The day transitioned into an evening of networkingandcelebration, startingwith the cocktail reception sponsored by NTT Data , followed by the dinner sponsored by Deloitte . During the dinner, the awards ceremony honored exceptional achievements in the tech world: NTT Data has been named Tech Firm of the Year , succeedingLuxProvide. This recog- nitionhighlightsNTTData’sroleasadriv- ing force of innovation, emobodying the four pillars of HITS: Human, Inspiration, Technology, andSustainability. Dataspace4Health has received the TechForLife award for its impactful use of technology to address sustainability and societal challenges. Last year, this honor went to Digital Learning Hub. Finally, Eric Mansuy, CIO of Quintet Private Bank has been crowned as the new THECIO2025 , following in the footsteps of Vincent Arnal (2022), Lau- rent Pulinckx (2023) and Laurent Cou- turier (2024). This exciting announce- ment was made during one of the three surprise shows performed by the tal- ented Les Frères Colle . A night to remember: After-Party The celebration continued with a lively Proximus NXT after-party, clos- ing the day on a high note of unity. Kamel Amroune, CEO of The Dots: “We extendourgratitudetoouramazingspon- sorswhose supportwas essential inmak- ing this event a success: Deloitte, Telkea Group,NTTData,Fujitsu,SystemSolu- tions by Trustteam, LuxProvide, Deep, SAP and Proximus NXT . Your commit- ment to innovation and collaboration is truly inspiring. This year’s TNT Sympo- siumwas not just an event; it was an ex- perience and a journey through time, innovation, and imagination. The Dots is already looking forward to welcoming younext year for another edition”. The Dots Luxembourg Technology through time and beyond ©techsense