Every email, file or application we use is part of a digital infrastructure that consumes electricity, equivalent to 4% of the world’s total, and generates approximately 1.4% of global CO₂ emissions, according to recent reports.
Although it may not seem like much, this demand for electricity intensifies every year and is especially high in data centers, which drive the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. Its electricity consumption increased by 12% annually between 2017 and 2023, four times faster than average global electricity growth, underscoring the importance of responsibly managing the environmental effects of technological growth.
In this context, Schwabe promotes initiatives that contribute to reducing the impact of the digital environment and the unnecessary use of electricity. On the occasion of Digital Cleanup Day, the company has encouraged the elimination of unnecessary GB of information, reducing CO₂ emissions associated with the electricity consumption they generate. This is an example of how small actions can produce a measurable, positive impact.
“Promoting a culture of digital and environmental responsibility among our teams means that each employee understands how their decisions, no matter how small they may seem, influence electricity consumption, CO₂ emissions and the use of resources. Thus, sustainability becomes a natural part of our daily work and our way of innovating,” explains Montse Bibián, CSR and Sustainability delegate at Schwabe.
Actions for an increasingly sustainable activity
This initiative is integrated into a broader strategy that includes measures such as the electrification of the vehicle fleet, improving efficiency in the use of electricity in offices, reducing energy consumption, reducing the use of paper through internal digitalization initiatives or the development of more sustainable packs. In parallel, the company periodically calculates its carbon footprint. In 2021 and 2022, it focused on scopes 1 and 2, which has allowed it to observe the reduction of its CO₂ emissions by 43%, going from 14 to 8 tons of CO₂.
Technologies generate approximately 1.4% of global CO₂ emissions
“As a company whose work is deeply linked to nature, we are especially aware of the importance of preserving it. We will continue to move forward with clear objectives and concrete actions, also optimizing the use of electricity in the digital environment, in our packaging and in our operations, to contribute to an increasingly sustainable activity,” concludes Montse Bibián.
