IT Sustainability Think Tank: How not to fall for Big Tech’s false green claims
In an era where nearly every tech supplier touts green credentials, IT directors face the challenging task of separating genuine sustainability commitments from marketing spin. But how?
When there is a flood of claims from technology suppliers and service providers, such as ‘net zero,’ ‘planet‑positive,’ and ‘100% renewable,’ how do you separate real progress from polished spin?
Regulators have repeatedly shown how widespread the problem is. In a 2021 EU screening of websites, authorities had reason to believe the statements were exaggerated, false, or deceptive in 42% of them and companies failed to provide easily assessable evidence in over half of them.
Meanwhile, even as the ambitious Green Claims Directive has stalled, new rules already ban vague environmental terms and offset‑based ‘climate neutral’ marketing unless proven and verified.
Forrester predicts that 2026 will be a watershed moment for environmental sustainability, marking a clear divide between performative sustainability and authentic, integrated climate action. Use the playbook below to pressure‑test supplier marketing and avoid becoming complicit in greenwashing.
Spot red flags in sustainability marketing
Looking for red flags in marketing is an absolute first step and a de facto exercise every IT leader must do with their suppliers and partners. Review the sustainability reports of your big tech partners and look for:
- Broad, unsubstantiated language. Claims such as ‘eco‑friendly,’ ‘green,’ or ‘climate neutral’ without clear methods, scope, and evidence are classic warning signs and increasingly under scrutiny by regulatory bodies.
- Vague metrics. If a provider cites vague metrics like "efficiency" without disclosing absolute numbers for at least Scope 1 and 2 emissions, it’s a cue to dig deeper.
- ‘100% renewable’ by certificate alone and overreliance on offsets. Such claims without clear mitigation efforts often indicate weak decarbonisation strategies. Offsets have a role, especially for hard-to-abate emissions, but transparency and credible action remain essential. Understand the different types of offsets and credits and ensure you seek transparency on mitigation efforts.
Verify claims and benchmark against standards
Verification against standards ensures an organisation is measuring the right metrics. Once you have reviewed a tech partner for red flags, dig in and:
- Ask for an auditable greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. Request inventories prepared to ISO standards, such as ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol, including Scope 1, 2, and material Scope 3 categories with methods and emission factors disclosed. Check if there is provided third-party validation.
- Validate product‑level claims. Seek to understand more about Life Cycle Assessments and PCF calculation methodologies. The product carbon footprints standard ISO 14067 can be a great place to start to understand methodologies.
- Demand standardised datacentre KPIs. For cloud and colocation suppliers, request Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) reported per standards such as ISO/IEC 30134 overview and ISO WUE standard.
Insist on independent, third‑party verification
Third-party verification ensures that data sources are correct, and no errors were introduced in the workflow used to generate a report. In addition to checking credit integrity for offsets and that carbon neutrality claims follow ISO standards, look for verification in the form of:
- Assurance on non‑financial data. Look for external assurance by third parties such as ISSA 5000 overview (PwC) to validate sustainability disclosures, controls, and data quality.
- Validated Science‑based targets. Prioritise vendors with near‑term and net‑zero targets validated by SBTi.
- Disclosure quality signals. CDP scoring emphasises comprehensive emissions calculations including Scope 3 accounting, governance, and verification. Check if the provider or vendor has CDP responses.
Hold suppliers accountable and avoid amplifying greenwashing
As a start, raise the bar on cloud sustainability, use credible ecolabels such as EPEAT or TCO Certified, Generation 10 and use supplier codes of conduct to ensure procurement guardrails. Additionally:
- Develop a green‑software framework. As AI workloads surge, measure software emissions with the Green Software Foundation’s Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) spec which is now ISO‑recognised and adopt carbon‑aware design strategies.
- Set the right metrics and understanding of circular economy. Your IT is often part of a larger circular economy effort. The IT circular economy encompasses end-to-end treatment of IT infrastructure within the data centre and end user devices. Use KPIs to measure the success of circular economy initiatives such as hazardous materials avoided in landfills and amount of embodied carbon per device
- Understand the dual role emerging technologies play. Emerging technologies such as AI can either enable sustainability or be a hindrance. The right use cases and scale are necessary to understand this balance.
Read more from the IT Sustainability Think Tank
- Sustainability has shifted from a buzzword to a business imperative. It is no longer just a tick-box exercise – it is now a central pillar shaping the future of enterprise strategy, according to Gartner.
- As the global transition towards developing low-carbon economies continues apace, Gartner shares its take on the actions enterprises must take now to navigate an increasingly volatile energy landscape.
- In an era where nearly every tech supplier touts green credentials, IT directors face the challenging task of separating genuine sustainability commitments from marketing spin. But how?
Originally published at ECT News