Chapter 2: Training & competences¶
Open questions¶
- How do you ensure Sustainable IT competency management for your staff?
- How do you contribute to the Sustainable IT ecosystem regarding competences improvements?
2.1 How do you ensure Sustainable IT competency management for your staff?¶
Rationale¶
Sustainable IT is an initiative dealing with two very high levels of complexity:
- The one relative to environmental and human sciences.
- The one relative to the architecture and technology of digital communications.
Therefore, although common sense is useful, it is not sufficient. Real competences must be developed, in conjunction with academics’ knowledge and with a high degree of integrity, to launch a Sustainable IT initiative and be ready for the challenges of deploying it at operational level.
Evaluation criteria¶
| Evaluation criterion | Recommended priority | Proposed weighting (total = 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
| The type of training and certification is consistent with the business of the stakeholder. For example: if we evaluate an organisation that delivers IT equipment the training shall be in the eco-design and Life Cycle Assessment of products rather than services. | P1 | 10 |
| The types of training are relevant to Sustainable IT and not just to general Sustainability. | P1 | 9 |
| The difference between awareness (issues are understood), training (solutions are known), competences (solutions are applied) and certification (knowledge is verified) is recognized. | P2 | 5 |
| Certifications are delivered by independent and qualified organisations, or, for internal certification, the criteria of certification are transparent and communicated. | P2 | 5 |
| Managers and top managers are also trained in (and not only aware of) general Sustainable IT fundamentals. | P2 | 5 |
| Number of people aware. Number of people trained. Number of people certified. Number of recognized experts. Inside the global organisation on one hand and for the specific mission (or the specific IT department) on the other hand. | P3 | 2 |
| All newcomers are made aware of Sustainable IT during welcome or on boarding days. | P3 | 2 |
| Competence: proportion of people who declare that they apply the knowledge from training in their everyday work. | P3 | 2 |
| A training plan exists in order to ensure up-skilling. | P3 | 2 |
| Refresh trainings is planned in order to maintain competences. | P3 | 2 |
| A matrix expressing the integration of Sustainable IT competences in IT jobs exists (ISO 14001 requirement). | P3 | 2 |
| Regular communications are organized: “did you know?”, specific events (e.g. digital clean-up days). | P3 | 2 |
| Sustainable IT competences are promoted and evaluated for hiring. | P3 | 2 |
2.2 How do you contribute to the Sustainable IT ecosystem regarding competences improvements?¶
Rationale¶
The level of complexity of such an initiative justifies working and progressing collectively on this topic. Collation of experiences and forums are efficient ways to up-skill and launch efficient actions. Moreover, IT technologies evolve very fast; the principles established one day do not necessarily persist to the next. Taking a solo route through such a systemic issue is probably not the most successful approach.
Evaluation criteria¶
| Evaluation criterion | Recommended priority | Proposed weighting (total = 50 points) |
|---|---|---|
| The organisation is involved in the Sustainable ICT ecosystem (Institutes, associations, workgroups, think and do tanks) to benefit from and propose the exchange of experience, influence standards and regulations, and create common approaches. | P1 | 20 |
| A technical, social and regulatory watch is ensured to maintain competences and follow the quick evolutions of the ICT world. Example: AI act. | P2 | 10 |
| Skills patronage is considered to help associations when free ICT resources are available or if working time can be dedicated. | P2 | 10 |
| The organisation is involved in student awareness or lectures, or professor ships. | P3 | 5 |
| The organisation is connected to academics of universities or has internal research or development. E.g. internships, skills patronage. | P3 | 5 |