ICT4S 2023
Mon 5 - Sat 10 June 2023 RENNES, France
Tue 6 Jun 2023 11:45 - 12:07 at Amphitheater - Session #1 Chair(s): Elina Eriksson

Companies are increasingly adopting cloud-based solutions to provide their employees with tools for flexible work. The environmental consequences of this trend, although largely under-researched, are likely to be negative. In fact, by enabling integrated and easy-to-use features (document collaboration, backups, online meetings, etc.), using the cloud typically leads to a growth in data traffic and outsourced computation. At the same time, the 2022 IPCC report (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) calls for sufficiency measures to reach net-zero emissions, i.e. actions on the demand side to avoid unnecessary consumption of resources. However, how much and which cloud usage is “sufficient” for flexible work? This study explores the answer to this question by using qualitative research methods. We carried out three focus groups within two companies, investigating the daily use of digital technologies in flexible work. A thematic analysis using open coding was performed on the outcome. Our findings include (i) a list of main digital work activities and differences according to work settings, (ii) the perceptions of what makes certain digital activities or their cloud feature necessary, and (iii) a list of tactics towards sufficiency and the perceived benefits and challenges associated to them. In our increasingly connected work environments, there are plenty of opportunities to decrease our digital footprint by re-centering on the essentials, and simultaneously bring co-benefits like focus, and better quality of life. Future work could identify the cultural part of what is perceived as necessary by running the same study in other countries and professional environments. Further research would also be helpful to identify the potential impact and acceptability of the identified tactics.

Tue 6 Jun

Displayed time zone: Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris change

11:00 - 12:30
Session #1Research Papers / Journal First at Amphitheater
Chair(s): Elina Eriksson KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
11:00
22m
Talk
Untangling the relationship between degrowth and ICTResearch Paper
Research Papers
Sergio España Utrecht University, and Universitat Politècnica de València, Willem Hulst University of Utrecht, Nivard Jansen University of Utrecht, Daniel Pargman KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Media Attached
11:22
22m
Talk
Obsolescence Paths: living with aging devicesResearch Paper
Research Papers
Léa Mosesso Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Nolwenn Maudet University of Strasbourg, Edlira Nano Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Thomas Thibault Praticable, Aurélien Tabard University of Lyon
11:45
22m
Talk
`We are always on, is that really necessary?' Exploring the path to digital sufficiency in flexible workResearch Paper
Research Papers
Maël Madon IRIT, Université de Toulouse, Patricia Lago Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Pre-print
12:07
22m
Talk
Establishing the planetary boundaries framework in the sustainability reporting of ICT companies – A proposal for proxy indicatorsJournal First
Journal First
Jennifer Erlandsson Ericsson Research, Pernilla Bergmark Ericsson Research, Ericsson AB, Mattias Höjer KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Link to publication