2024 conference topics

The GreenTech Forum Brussels conference program is set up by the program committee.
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21 conferences covering 4 topics to better understand the impact of digital technology on the environment and develop a sustainable IT strategy within your organization.

• Responsible Enterprise
• Sustainable IT Infrastructures and Services
• Tools, Certifications, Standards, Norms & Regulations
• Ecological & social transition and Innovation

Nowadays, any company must tackle sustainability, whether it’s part of their core values, they are compelled by regulations or they aim to ensure the resiliency of their activities (e.g. brand equity, recruitment attractivity, employees’ retention, diversification of services, cost reduction, etc). To do so, and as expressed by Corporate Social Responsibility principles, they should seek to analyse their impacts, consistent with their own activities (based on the Sustainable Development Goals, for instance) and put in place actions to mitigate the negative impacts. As many organisations rely heavily on IT, keeping in mind that our economy is highly in the tertiary sector (economy of services), Sustainable IT should be considered as a key lever for organisations’ sustainability strategies.

• Converting organizations and their leaders to Sustainable IT - ROI, co-benefits, and extra-environmental arguments.
• Sustainable IT and the Functional Economy, the emergence of new business models.
• Small organisations and Sustainable IT, how to take concrete action? (testimonials and feedback).
• Large/international organisations and Sustainable IT: key success factors and pitfalls to avoid (approaches, regulations, different cultures...).
• Sustainable purchasing: including environmental and social considerations in IT buying decisions, with tools and best practices for responsible sourcing.

Any organisation that has an information system (hardware and software) use it to serve other business functions. IT infrastructures are therefore playing an important role in business continuity and success, sustaining the activities of various department, such as finance, accounting, HR, or marketing, to name a few. Sustainable IT Infrastructures and Services aim to provide the means for employees to undergo their tasks, while taking into consideration the questions of digital sobriety, inclusion, accessibility ,security and ethics. The development and functionalities of Sustainable IT Infrastructures and Services take into consideration the 3 Ps of Sustainable Development : Prosperity, People, and Planet. (“is the data of my client safe?”, “is my datacentre optimised to reduce energy consumption?”, “is my CRM accessible to all my employees?”, “is my digital advertising ethical ?”)

• Eco-design of digital services: which frameworks (GR491, GreenSoft Model…) to use, what mindset to adopt within IT teams, what skills to develop?
• Eco-design & websites: Tools, standards, best practices (incl. accessibility, data privacy...), actors & testimonials.
• How can open-source software help reduce hardware obsolescence?
• Eco-design from theory to practice, how do companies take action in real life? Eco-design, a fundamental lever to reduce the environmental footprint of IT. Case studies of implementation (services and/or products side).
• BYOD/COPE & Cybersecurity: What technical and cultural barriers exist for the sharing of equipment between companies (e.g. having two laptops as a consultant due to client-site consulting), or between personal and professional use?

The European Union’s Green Deal & Digital Market Act, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Web Accessibility guidelines (WCAG), the GHG protocol, the Sustainable IT labels : there are so many ways to move forward towards a more sustainable society, and every actor can make a difference in their own way. We need shared compasses, and it is crucial that industries, experts, academics, institutions, and authorities push means for organisations to work together. With that in mind, Tools, Certifications, Standards, Norms & Regulations are key to offer a common framework and help every actor to achieve a sustainable functioning.

• Sustainable IT & Regulations: Directives and obligations for IT in Europe; public and corporate policies to promote more responsible IT usage by end customers and consumers; international initiatives.
• Multi-criteria (water and resources consumption, pollution, GHG emissions...) measurement of IT's environmental footprint: tackling the lack of robust data and unstandardized methods, and exploring labels, certifications, and tools for Sustainable IT policies and footprint tracking.
• Preparing for Sustainable IT and environmental disclosure regulations; getting ready for CSRD, Ecoscore, Repairability Index... and managing environmental data effectively.

Reduce inequalities, promote circular economy and sustainable business models, ensure digital inclusion and jobs : all these challenges require creative ideas and innovation mindsets to define new ways of working and living. Innovation should be at the service of the social and ecological transitions, and digitalisation has a role to play!

• Incorporating Sustainable IT into educational programs across various fields (engineering, generalist, management, journalism...) and emphasizing the need for training in companies to adopt greener digital practices.
• Refurbishment, repair & WEEE management: Market reality and solutions for businesses.
• Which digital solutions can help meet other Sustainable Development Goals (Mobility, Public Services, Renovation, Food, etc.)? How to avoid rebound effects?
• Environmental benefits of digital technology: myth or reality? How to integrate indirect environmental impacts/rebound effects of digital technology into a systemic approach ? How is digital technology shaping tomorrow's society and its impacts?
• Promoting Circular Innovation: Technology and design for a circular future.
• AI for Eco-Efficiency: Using AI to reduce our environmental footprint, taking into account the footprint of AI.
• Environmental Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: Current state and trends.