JSE-listed ICT company GijimaAst has opened a green IT business unit and has appointed Jan Smit to head up the division's operations.
GijimaAst's new business unit plans to provide energy-efficient hosting services, virtualisation, IT optimisation and server consolidation. Smit says GijimaAst is partnering with four companies to create solutions targeting sustainability within the IT market, but would not reveal which firms these are.
Smit told ITWeb last week that strict regulations such as King III and increased Eskom tariffs will result in serious implications for organisations; meaning companies can no longer ignore the green agenda.
“Cars are being taxed for their carbon emissions, and enterprises will soon be feeling the effects of increased electricity tariffs and regulations. The government is already in talks about taxing enterprises based on their carbon emissions.”
However, he adds that the pressure to go green is driving the trading of carbon credits within the international community, which he calls a trillion-dollar industry. He says the benefits of this will filter down to SA.
“As soon as companies realise there is money to be made, we will start seeing more companies committing to social and environmental responsibility,” explains Smit. “Companies can start trading in carbon credits which will improve their profit margins and share price. It's like the gold rush.”
GijimaAst has also set out plans to deploy a flexible financing model for its customers, allowing them to pay back the company based on their savings through the green solutions. “This means companies won't have to pay upfront for the technologies and services,” says Smit.
GijimaAst is also going green within its internal operations, completing its green building project in 2008. According to Smit, the buildings were specifically designed and constructed to save 80% of energy compared with traditional office buildings by using natural lighting.
Smit says as part of the company's plans to go green, it has rolled out internal incentives to educate its employees to save electricity.
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