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Spotted: To convert environmental targets into tangible action, organisations around the world must find practical ways to reduce their carbon emissions. And for many companies, digital applications and information technology (IT) platforms are responsible for a significant proportion of their total carbon footprint.

The environmental impact of IT quickly adds up. For example, according to the World Economic Forum, every email equates to 4 grammes of carbon emissions –rising to 50 grammes if a photo is attached. But keeping track of a complex organisation’s digital footprint can be a challenge, and manual assessments of digital assets are cumbersome and limited in scope.

Startup Fruggr aims to tackle this issue by automating the process of digital impact assessment. The company’s website describes its platform as “deeptech software at the service of a more efficient, more responsible digital [environment]”. The platform measures data collected on factors such as equipment usage, network, servers, analytics, and source code – analysing 120 indicators in total. Social and ethical considerations, such as accessibility and inclusiveness, are taken into account in addition to environmental factors.

Organisations can use the data gathered to analyse and improve the footprint of their IT. This, in turn, can help them to improve their return on investment by reducing their budget and offering more accessible and ethical digital services.

At Springwise we have covered a spate of innovations aimed at reducing the impact of the digital world. These include a tomato plant-powered server, and data centres in the arctic circle that take advantage of the cold climate, and run on renewable energy. 

Written By: Lisa Magloff