The increase of digitalization means that software is a key driver for society and the economy. However, this means we can’t keep creating products and without taking the responsibility for the impact of the software. For example, IT is predicted to account for 21% of global energy consumption by 2030. If we don't change the way we implement software, we will add to our carbon footprint. So, it is time to examine how software development can help reduce energy consumption and ensure more - ecological, social & economic - sustainability. In this keynote, I want to broaden our horizon on having a more holistic perspective on our responsibility for sustainability. I will share both ideas about possibilities and examples from companies who make already an effort in implementing this holistic perspective, because sustainability becomes more and more a success factor for every company: For finding and keeping both clients as well as talent. Thus, this session is about raising the awareness of our contribution to more sustainability and hopefully being a wake-up call for taking responsibility.

1. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
1
1
Jutta Eckstein | @JuttaEckstein
https://JEckstein.com
Software Sustainability:
Wake-Up Call for Taking Responsibility!

2. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
2

3. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
3
What?

4. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
4

5. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
5
Sustainability
Social/People
Aiming on Ending Poverty
Environment/Planet
Protecting the Planet
Economic/Profit
Improving the lives &
prospects of everyone,
everywhere

6. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
6
Software to the Rescue!?

7. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
7
©
Nature.
Jones,
N.:
How
to
stop
data
centres
from
gobbling
up
the
world‘s
electricity

8. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
8
©
United
Nations
University:
The
Global
E-waste
Monitor
2020
In 2019, 53.6 million metric tonnes
of electronic waste was generated
worldwide (that’s plus 21% in 5 years.)
This is an equivalent of almost 5,400
Eiffel towers.

9. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
9
In 2007, we became carbon neutral and in 2017, we became
the first company of our size to match 100% of our global,
annual electricity consumption with renewable energy. […]
Now, we’re carving a path forward to decarbonize our
electricity supply completely and operate on 24/7 carbon-free
energy, everywhere, by 2030.
©
Google
White
Paper.
Moving
toward
24x7
Carbon-Free
Energy
at
Google
Data
Centers:
Progress
and
Insights

10. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
10
It is time for the computing community
to face up to computing’s growing
environmental impact – and take
responsibility for it!
Andrew A. Chien, Editor-in-Chief of the CACM

11. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
11
Chef & Homeland Security
©
https://www.fedscoop.com/protest-open-source-software-
company-chef-will-let-ice-contract-expire/

12. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
12
Transparency & Societal Awareness
◼ Collects & publishes research data – also to competitors – about climate
change since the 70’s.
◼ They’re convinced that
– …only transparency allows them to learn from others & to improve
the data.
– …this increases the general societal awareness of climate change &
their own resilience.

13. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
13
Society is demanding that companies, both
public and private, serve a social purpose.
To prosper over time, every company must
not only deliver financial performance, but
also show how it makes a positive
contribution to society.
Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock,
January 2018 open letter to CEOs.

14. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
14

15. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
15
Artificial intelligence?

16. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
16
An organization produces a design
that reflects the organization's
biases.
Eckstein’s Law

17. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
17
So What?

18. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
18
©
agilebossanova.com

19. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
19
©
agilebossanova.com

20. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
20
Now What?

21. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
21
Sustainability
Social/People
…the values we’re creating.
Environment/Planet
…the energy that’s
consumed by our products.
Economic/Profit
…our learnings & ensure
we leverage these
learnings by sharing.
Take Responsibility for…
Take Responsibility & Change your Questions!

22. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
22
Constant Customer Focus
Does the product provide easy-to-use functions
permitting users to repair damage to data and programs?
Are we missing any perspectives that would provide
important inputs on our product?
How did we decide who our target audience should be?

23. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
23
Self-Organization: Work Environment
Is the energy being used in the office based on fossil fuel
or regenerative? Can we reduce the carbon footprint of
our work environment?
How might team members be co-opted to undermine
trust in our values?
What might foster an environment for facts to flourish
look like in our product?

24. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
24
Continuous Learning: System Design
How can we ensure the product provides the best
possible performance with the least amount of resources
across devices and platforms?
Can users of the system block or mute bad actors - and
request they be banned?
Does the user receive sufficient support when erasing
data generated during operation of the product as
desired?

25. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
25
Transparency: Communication & Collaboration
Do you respond promptly when security gaps
(vulnerabilities) become known?
What data are we collecting from users and do we need
to collect all of this data?
Is sufficient documentation provided for the data formats
used by the product to enable interoperability? Do the
data formats comply with open standards enabling further
use of the data with another product?

26. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
26
Taking Responsibility for Sustainability
◼ Change the questions to ensure the different aspects:
– People:
• Watch out for diversity & inclusion and any bias
– Planet:
• Accountability for the overall energy consumption
– Profit:
• Responsibility for the eventual harm of the product

27. JEckstein.com | @JuttaEckstein
27
Many Thanks!
◼ Jutta Eckstein | @JuttaEckstein
◼ https://jeckstein.com/sustainability
◼ https://agilebossanova.com
◼ Resources for the questions:
– Tim Frick: Designing for Sustainability: A Guide to
Building Greener Digital Products and Services
– Daniel Wahl: Designing Regenerative Cultures
– Blue Angel (https://bit.ly/3Irzom6)
– Ethical Explorer (https://ethicalexplorer.org/)