Developers want to have a positive impact

According to the SOGS survey, 35% of over 2,000 software practitioners shared that they and their organization never measure the carbon impact of software. Though this reflects a minority of the population surveyed, it shows that there needs to be an investment in resources to affect change. Our SOGS survey found that while only 8.15% of software practitioners have taken a green software training, 55.01% of software practitioners say they are interested in taking a green software training but have never taken one. This indicates a real need for more workplace training and resources, the availability of which will depend on leadership support.

ESG and other developments in the regulatory environment will likely require more organizations to measure the carbon impact of their software. In parallel, an increased understanding of an individual’s capacity to affect change could also build momentum toward a green software transition.

Developers are passionate about making a difference and using their technical skills to mitigate climate change. Not only do they join existing efforts in their workplaces, but they often have ideas for developing sustainability-related projects. One survey found that 54% out of 500 developers want to be part of the greater good and make a difference, with 94% indicating they have their own ideas for developing sustainability projects.