Zurich/Bern – Only one-third of software companies give sustainability a strategic priority in their business model. Pressure for the introduction of appropriate measures comes primarily from the clients. This is the finding of a study by Swico, the University of Bern and sieber&partners.
Swico attests that the Swiss software industry has a long way to go to achieve sustainability: Only one third of software companies give sustainability a strategic priority in their business model, explains the ICT industry association in a press release. It is based on the “Swiss Software Industry Survey 2023” study conducted by Swico together with the Information Engineering Department at the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Bern and the Zurich-based consulting firm sieber&parners.
According to her, only a few companies have defined sustainability goals and measurement methods for achieving them. However, three quarters of the software companies are developing technical solutions, for example, for code reuse or the standardization of tools. “Companies need time and resources to develop sustainable measures for the long term and integrate them into their operations,” Swico writes. In the survey for the study, ICT companies also expressed a particular desire for meaningful metrics. “Clear metrics are needed to transparently track the success or failure of sustainability initiatives,” Swico CEO Judith Bellaiche is quoted as saying in the release.
According to the study, the customers of software companies are the main source of pressure for the introduction of sustainability. It is increasingly demanding sustainability certificates for the award of contracts. Government agencies, export markets or organizations, on the other hand, have not yet pushed for the introduction of sustainability measures. ce/hs
