It seems like yesterday that green issues and the environment were both buzz words which no self-respecting business could do without. So what’s changed?’

Green largely fell off the corporate agenda throughout 2010, due to the recession and the inevitable refocus on cost savings and survival. However, with advances in technology, organisations are beginning to realise that being green and cutting costs can actually work together.

Indeed, only last week the Government underscored its own commitment to the green economy with two major investments in renewable energy technology. Business Secretary Vince Cable announced the start of a competition to form an Offshore Renewable Energy technology and innovation centre to focus on technologies for offshore wind, wave and tidal power.

The Government has committed more than £200 million over the next four years to establish an elite network of at least six technology and innovation centres. The centres will allow businesses to access equipment and expertise to help them commercialise new and emerging technology - and will, of course, help them capture a share of the global market.

Vince Cable said: “The UK is a world leader in offshore engineering and our reputation makes us an excellent location for research in this area. In creating an Offshore Renewable Energy technology and innovation centre we are taking the next step to transforming the UK into a low carbon economy. There is a clear opportunity for the Government to support the UK’s offshore industry and this centre will be of great benefit to the sector and the economy.”

When it comes to outsourcing, it’s not just the issue of cost of carbon consumption but also the added complexity of who is responsible for that cost. For instance, Data Centres consume large amounts of electricity and are rapidly increasing in size and numbers. End-users may believe that outsourcing their data centre(s) may make them except from the Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme but it is becoming more common for outsourcing service providers to ask their customers to contribute to the associated costs. Technology is also helping organisations to understand their consumption patterns and reduce carbon admissions.

“It is widely recognised that our use of energy and other natural resources can be reduced or at least optimised through the use of IT. Therefore, information technology is seen by many as being the primary solution to addressing and reducing the carbon emissions of almost every sector,” said Zahl Limbuwala, chair of BCS data centre specialist group.

IT companies SAP and HP backed Limbuwala’s comments, with Ian Brooks European head of innovation and sustainable computing at HP, saying that it will be ’imperative’ for organisations and governments to deploy measurement and control systems regarding consumption.

Aegis is the first Indian BPO to have published a standalone sustainability report on its global operations last year. The report, externally assured by Ernst & Young, achieved the highest rating of A+.

Asked about the advantages of adopting green practices in BPOs, Aegis Global CEO and MD, Aparup Sengupta said:

“We have an environmental policy in place that demonstrates our top management’s commitment towards the environment. We are taking concerted efforts towards ensuring that we expand in a sustainable way.

“In our existing as well as new facilities, we have taken several energy saving measures to reduce our overall consumption. These initiatives have been taken in the area of air conditioning, lighting, raw power, and DG usage and are detailed out below. These initiatives were taken at all our India locations. In FY11, we intend to include our overseas facilities in these initiatives. We have set a target of reducing our energy consumption by 3% this year. We shall continue to take initiatives to reduce our paper and water consumption.”

Patty Calkins, global vice president of environment, health and safety at Xerox, believes that in order to establish a green global economy, businesses need to pick the right projects, build support, measure results and repeat.

Patty Calkins said: “Most chief executive officers believe that within a decade, sustainability initiatives will be integrated with core business activities throughout their global supply chains making green practices the norm in most workplaces. The challenge to getting there is less about vision and strategy — most already have those — and more about execution.”

These are among the findings of a 2010 survey of 766 chief executive officers around the globe conducted by global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company Accenture and the United Nations Global Compact. The Compact is an initiative to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.

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According to the survey, the vast majority of CEOs (93 per cent) report that sustainability will be critical to the future success of their companies. They are signing on rapidly — 81 per cent say sustainability is part of the company’s strategy and operations, up from 50 per cent in 2007. And the global economic downturn not only has not dampened enthusiasm, but raised the importance of their sustainability commitment (80 per cent).

Executing on these strategies won’t be easy. To integrate sustainability into global business processes and make it the norm will require monumental changes in regulation, technology, investment and consumer behaviour. This can only occur as a result of many discrete projects, executed well, at companies around the globe. A few simple guidelines can help managers achieve the excellence in execution these projects demand.

Of course, the first step on the road to success is to pick the right project. Take a disciplined approach by applying the same level headed analysis you would use in any other strategic business decision. Follow this by keeping an open mind when assessing projects. Try not to narrow the field before you start your research, and make the search a broad one that considers all the activities of your business, including interactions with suppliers and customers. Make a list of all the areas where projects can make a significant impact, then analyse and compare them.

The project you select should be achievable with the available financial and staff resources and within a reasonable amount of time. It should produce results that benefit both the business and the environment — including the strongest possible return on investment. Finding ways to measure where you are and what you hope to achieve are critical to tracking your progress and communicating credible results. However, you must also remember to keep in mind that not all measures are quantitative.

Brand equity, goodwill, the ability to attract and retain the best and brightest, access to key markets, the popularity of products and services in customers’ eyes, the hidden costs of compliance, the health, safety and comfort of workers — all can be improved through green initiatives.

When you carefully consider all these issues, you’ll be able to prioritise potential projects and recommend the best option to senior management and, hopefully, move forward with their support. They can help you focus company employees, partners and customers on a common set of goals, helping ensure their passions and creativity are applied to moving your project forward.

Establish a record of success, and you can begin addressing other worthy projects on your list and taking on greater challenges over time. And there will be greater challenges. Early projects likely will focus on doing current processes better, from a sustainability standpoint. To successfully integrate sustainability into the business and make it standard operating procedure, however, some disruptive changes will need to be made. By choosing projects wisely and executing them well, you can build the credibility you need to lead the transformation.