46% of charities are using digital tools (such as remote work) to reduce their carbon footprints.
- The key action that 46% of charities are taking around climate change and tech is using digital tools to reduce their carbon footprint. This echoes the trends we observed in 2024.
- However, it is worrying that 41% answered ‘none of the above/not applicable’ as the second most popular answer.
- 17% of charities are thinking about how to use AI mindfully, in order to reduce the environmental impact.
- However, limited progress has been made in this area. It’s notable that 41% say that they either aren’t undertaking any of the listed actions, or they are not applicable to them.
- Small and large charities are taking similar actions when it comes to climate change and tech and respond in the same way to this question.
- Only small proportions of charities are taking the following actions and we would continue to encourage more to do the same:
- Seeking advice from other charities, suppliers and experts on sustainable digital options and choices (15%). This has fallen from 24% last year.
- Choosing digital suppliers or web hosting with strong environmental commitments (13%), similar to 2024.
- Designing online services and websites to minimise energy use (13%).
- Elsewhere in our survey, it is positive to see that commitment to environmental principles by digital suppliers is either very important or important to almost two-thirds (65%) of charities. Yet, other factors are given greater importance.
- It is worth noting that when asked about their organisation’s digital priorities for the year ahead, only 12% said reducing their tech/digital carbon footprint. In Wales, 24% see this as an organisational priority.
Charities also told us that:
“We are currently reviewing our policies on sustainability, access and technology which will enable us to look more closely at how we can reduce our digital carbon footprint.”
“Our service users rely mostly on face-to-face support, however, where possible [we] use telephone conferencing or, Zoom, Teams etc.”
