Document management is crucial to going green

Finance directors and chief information officers should be held responsible for achieving the government’s ICT targets, which are contained in the recently-published 'Greening Government ICT' plan.

The plan highlights key areas public sector departments need to address to achieve carbon neutrality by 2012. These include cutting the number of printers across the organisation, which are significant carbon emitters, and reducing the amount being printed. Under the plan, FDs are tasked with ensuring that the environmental consequences of ICT procurements are fully evaluated.     

If public sector bodies are to cut the number of printers across their organisations and reduce printing, they can't do this without replacing the printing of documents with an alternative.

By moving to electronic document management systems, organisations reduce paper-use and significantly cut CO2 emissions by eliminating toner cartridges whilst also reducing the need to print, photocopy and transport documents.

The introduction of the ‘Greening Government ICT’ plan will undoubtedly force FDs and CIOs in public sector bodies to take steps towards reducing their carbon emissions, especially as they will be expected to report on their progress towards carbon neutrality by January 2010.

To view the full ‘Greening Government ICT’ plan, please click here

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