Technology is helping small businesses become more environmentally friendly -- and save thousands of dollars in the process, according to a recent survey.
Nearly 70 percent of the 250 small business IT decision-makers surveyed on behalf of Microsoft Corp. said environmentally friendly practices are important for their business. More than nine out of 10 said technology was key to accomplish this goal.
Sixty-three percent of respondents saved money using IT for green initiatives. More than half couldn’t definitively say how much they saved, but for those that could, the savings rang in at $19,200 on average.
"Technology can play a significant role in helping businesses lower their impact on the environment," Francois Ajenstat, Microsoft's director of environmental sustainability, said in a statement. "Microsoft helps by reducing the energy consumption of technology, helping manage environment footprint and rethinking business practices. This enables organizations to improve both their bottom line and the sustainability of their operations."
Seventy-six percent of businesses use mobile technology, making it the leading technology deployed, followed by power management. Half of those surveyed allow workers to telecommute, while just more than 40 percent of businesses have upgraded to energy efficient technologies or used teleconferencing.
The survey was conducted by KRC Research. |
