75% of charities are taking at least one action to reduce the environmental impact of their digital and technology use.
- Overall, three quarters of charities (75%) are taking at least one step to reduce their impact on climate change, through their digital choices. This rises to 80% of large charities.
- The most popular action for 59% of charities is using digital tools to reduce printing and travel. This rises to 69% of large charities. Last year only 46% of charities were using digital tools to reduce their carbon footprint, so it’s positive to see how this has grown.
- 39% of charities are extending the life of their devices through repair, reuse or recycling. This rises to 46% of large charities. This is a new addition for 2026.
- Almost a third (30%) of charities (and 46% of large charities) are optimising cloud storage and hosting to reduce energy use.
- 29% are encouraging staff to power down devices and use energy-saving modes.
- It was also positive to see that 18% are using AI mindfully to reduce environmental impact, similar to last year. This is noteworthy given the increased use of AI tools in everyday work, and something all of us could do more of.
However, there are areas of untapped potential for climate action amongst charities. For example, smaller numbers of charities are doing the following:
- Buying devices, software or hosting based on sustainability (17%).
- Following organisational policies or guidelines for sustainable digital use (13%).
- Choosing digital suppliers with strong environmental commitments (11%).
- Designing online services and websites for energy efficiency (8%).
- Undertaking a digital sustainability audit (5%).
