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Wavemakers: A journey towards sustainable IT

Renske Melchers van Wavemakers staat naast een bureau in een modern kantoor.
Renske Melchers, Tech Lead IT
Renske Melchers
Tech Lead IT
Reading time4 minutes

After realizing the significant impact IT has on global emissions, Tech Lead Renske Melchers decided to use her IT expertise and passion for sustainability to make a change. One small step at a time, Wavemakers is working towards a future where sustainability is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of IT within Rabobank. What future does Renske see for Wavemakers and its impact on Rabobank?

When asked how it all began, Renske talks about how the clear skies during the pandemic really opened her eyes. “I first came across the topic of sustainability during my academic studies, but its impact became particularly clear to me during the pandemic. With fewer cars on the roads and planes in the air, the skies looked so clean and blue. That had a profound effect on me.”

Woman walks through lush green garden with modern glass building in background.

“I then realized that my work in IT also has a large impact on sustainability. Research shows that IT is currently responsible for 3.5-4% of total global carbon emissions, which is more than global aviation. Through Wavemakers we aim to change this.”

Working together to implement sustainability in IT

Wavemakers at Rabobank is a project focused on integrating sustainability into the bank's IT operations. Renske: “Since we launched Wavemakers last year, I've become increasingly aware of the significant impact IT has on our environment. Wavemakers aims to integrate sustainability in everything we do in a meaningful and fun way. We organize training and workshops for developers, scrum masters and product owners with a focus on sustainability. Through education, tools and internal support, we’re working towards reducing the carbon footprint of IT operations within Rabobank.”

We try to incorporate sustainability in a meaningful and fun way."
Renske Melchers, Tech Lead IT

“There is so much we can do; even on a personal level, you can make a difference. For example, by extending the lifespan of your devices. The amount of materials, water, and fossil fuels used in producing them is enormous. Using a laptop or phone just one year longer can make a huge difference.”

Have you ever asked yourself how much energy data and technology uses?

Find out more about IT's hidden footprint

Working smarter saves energy

An interesting way for IT teams to save energy is by demand shifting. This means switching off servers and environments wherever possible and scheduling workloads and computing tasks to run at times when green energy is abundant and cheaper.

“We encourage our developers to think about how they implement software features, particularly in terms of reducing processing power. For example, by disabling test environments on the weekend. Even small adjustments for running processes or pipelines can make a significant impact. Our goal is to increase awareness of these opportunities among our development teams.”

“We need to demonstrate that our adjustments truly make a difference. To achieve this, we ‘ve developed the Carbon Insights Tool, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the CO2 emissions associated with specific features developed by a team. From the bottom up, we can help teams understand the impact of their work.”

Renske Melchers of Wavemakers stands at desk in office, holding post-its. In the background, the city of Utrecht through large windows.

Support from across the bank

The project focuses on creating a culture of environmental responsibility within the organization. Renske: “Getting employees from different departments involved helps everyone adopt sustainable practices and builds a sense of shared responsibility. We get a lot of freedom and support from management to get involved in sustainability. This really helps us move forward. We are still in the awareness phase, but the blinkers are coming off and people are really getting to see the impact of their actions.”

From waves to still waters: transforming IT at Rabobank

Integrating sustainability into a large organization like Rabobank is no small feat. As Renske points out, “We’re not there yet, but we’re making waves. My personal view as an IT professional is we just have to do this. I believe that every little bit helps, and actions adds up. In my view, if every company in the Netherlands takes similar steps, we can all benefit. I truly believe that with the help of all Rabobank employees, we can make a significant difference.”

Looking ahead, she envisions a future where Wavemakers becomes an integral part of Rabobank's operations, eventually making the initiative itself redundant. “Hopefully, in five years' time, Wavemakers will no longer be needed. Then we just have still waters, instead of waves,” she says, underscoring the ultimate goal of fully integrating sustainability into the company’s culture.

The enthusiasm and dedication of the Wavemakers team are inspiring. The initiative has sparked a movement within Rabobank, with employees across various departments eager to contribute. “People get so incredibly excited about the subject,” Renske shares, “and that just makes me super proud to be part of this.”

Sources

Bordage, F. (2019, October). The environmental footprint of the digital world. GreenIT.fr. https://GreenIT.fr)https://www.greenit.fr/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/GREENIT_EENM_summary_EN.pdf

The Shift Project (March 2018). Environmental impacts of digital technology: 5-year trends and 5G governance. https://theshiftproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Environmental-impacts-of-digital-technology-5-year-trends-and-5G-governance_March2021.pdf

Green Software Foundation, Demand Shifting https://learn.greensoftware.foundation/carbon-awareness/#demand-shifting