VICTIS - Green ICT from Eastern Finland - UEF project

The VICTIS – Green ICT from Eastern Finland – UEF project improves the growth capabilities of companies in the North Savo region and develops the operating environment of companies in terms of the green transition through ICT-assisted means. The project cooperates closely and exchanges information with the Victis – Green ICT from Eastern Finland – LUT (South Savo) and Victis – Green ICT from Eastern Finland TIEKE (North Karelia) projects.

The project focuses in particular on increasing companies’ awareness of their own environmental impacts and increasing companies’ readiness to act in order to minimize these impacts. Green IT services, such as cloud services and data center services, as well as green service management processes, are important development targets because they support environmental sustainability, reduce the carbon footprint of organizations and bring economic and competitive benefits. Primarily, VICTIS helps target companies identify and reduce the environmental impact related to ICT services, improve energy efficiency and encourage the use of renewable energy because IT systems and hardware, especially data centers, consume a huge amount of energy. There is a strong need for the project, as service companies are struggling to calculate the carbon footprint of service operations and identify all the factors that affect environmental sustainability.
By optimizing the energy use of hardware and software, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced. Green data centers and cloud services can use renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, instead of traditional fossil fuels. In addition, green IT services promote a circular economy where old IT equipment is recycled, materials are reused or a new investment is sought for the equipment. Green service management processes help organizations to continuously improve their operations. Green processes and practices that support environmental sustainability help integrate the environmental perspective into the life cycle of IT services and the daily work of service workers.

The project also helps companies in the region to build sustainable innovation activities. Resource-efficient service management processes support both sustainability and customer satisfaction. Intelligent automation, new technologies, real-time data and more accurate monitoring systems reduce unnecessary resources and emissions. The project will increase carbon awareness competences and competitiveness of companies in North Savo through environmental sustainability workshops, green service management webinars, regional ecosystem/network meetings, reports and guides. Additionally, VICTIS raises awareness among regional companies about the handprint of the ICT sector and its positive impacts. This is done directly through the companies participating in the project, but also indirectly by expanding the impact through the customers and partners of the participating companies. In this way, the project has a wider regional impact on the spread of green ICT thinking.

The project will be implemented through four central Work Actions (WAs). WA1 uses initial interviews and questionnaires from ICT companies in the North Savo region (companies participating in the project) to find out the current state of green ICT utilisation (how Green ICT is reflected in strategy and processes, awareness of green ICT practices, needs and challenges). WA2 promotes awareness of the green transition through Green ICT workshops and business cases. WA3 focuses on the development of green supplier management and produces a guide and webinars on green ICT in service procurement and supplier management. The webinars organized by North Savo shall be integrated into national Green ICT webinar series. In WA4, regional green ICT networking and ecosystem events are organized in North Savo. UEF also participates in ecosystem meetings organized by other regions. WA5 5 focuses on communicating and disseminating results to project stakeholders and management of the project.

Results

WP1: Identification of current state of Green ICT utilization and competences in North Savo Region

• Green ICT online survey and questionnaire established together with LUT University and TIEKE
• By 28.3.2025, in North Savo region 2 Green ICT interviews have been conducted and 5 companies have filled the online survey
• Participate in survey (only in Finnish): Itä-Suomen alueen organisaatio – oletko valmis vihreään ICT:hen? – Green ICT

WP2: Promoting awareness of the green transition through Green ICT workshops and business cases