Challenge
ICT firms are often less directly regulated on biodiversity, and their environmental impact is easy to underestimate. Without lifecycle measurement, digital solutions can shift impacts rather than reduce them.
ICT & Digital
Digital Handprint and Low-Impact ICT
The ICT case examines the double edge of digitalisation: data, software, and connectivity can reduce environmental impacts across sectors, but ICT also has its own energy, hardware, and procurement footprint.
Oulu ICT cluster
Approach
The case combines internal footprint reduction with external handprint potential: efficient data infrastructure, durable hardware procurement, client-facing environmental analytics, and tools that help other sectors measure nature-related performance.
Outcomes
The intended result is an ICT pathway where digital services help regional companies overcome the non-financial data problem while the ICT sector documents and reduces its own material and energy impacts.
Research Evidence
Based on NPOS Blog 5 and Blog 12: 68.6% of companies find non-financial measurement difficult, while ICT has major enabling potential if its own footprint is managed.