Sustainability in IT: re-use, repair, recycle as a guideline
Sustainability is an important focus within Colruyt Group, and this also applies to the IT department. IT manager Brechtel Dero presented how IT contributes to the group’s sustainability goals. With initiatives such as ‘re-use, repair, recycle,’ energy-efficient data centres, and a smart approach to edge and cloud computing, IT actively contributes to a lower environmental impact.
Sustainability as a core value within IT
At Colruyt Group, sustainability is not a side issue, but an integral part of the business strategy. The IT department also actively contributes to achieving sustainability goals. "We base our approach on several pillars," explains Brechtel Dero. "With Green IT, we reduce the ecological footprint of our IT activities. We optimise data centres, reduce energy consumption, and choose sustainable hardware."
"IT for Green takes things further: we use data and technology to drive sustainable business processes, for example, by using energy and raw materials more efficiently. And with IT for Human, we make sustainability accessible to everyone by developing digital solutions that make sustainable choices easier."
A concrete example of this is the energy-efficient data centres. Thanks to passive cooling, smart compartmentalisation, and sustainable architecture, they achieve a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.35, better than the market standard.
We consciously choose a circular approach to IT hardware: reuse as much as possible, repair where possible, and recycle as a last option.
Circular IT: from edge computing to sustainable hardware
IT also makes a difference in stores. The recently completed edge set-up ensures smooth operation of checkouts and inventory management, while energy consumption remains efficient. Additionally, Colruyt Group deliberately chooses a circular approach to hardware: reusing as much as possible, repairing where possible, and recycling as a last option. Cloud computing is also critically evaluated for energy consumption and optimisation.
"Cloud computing is gaining more ground within IT, but it also brings new challenges," says Brechtel. "One of the biggest challenges with cloud computing is how to map its ecological footprint." Unlike physical data centres, the energy consumption of cloud services is less tangible and harder to measure. Therefore, we are investing in methods to get better visibility on this, both in terms of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Through a thoughtful combination of edge, cloud, and our own data centre, we can further optimise our energy consumption."
One of the biggest challenges with cloud computing is how we map its ecological footprint.