The Rise of the Sustainable CTO: Enabling Tech-Driven Sustainability Transitions

Intel’s global research highlights the pivotal role of Chief Technology Officers in achieving sustainability targets.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the convergence of sustainability and digital transformation presents a profound challenge for enterprises worldwide. According to a new global research report titled “The Sustainable CTO,” published by Intel, chief technology officers (CTOs) have emerged as instrumental figures in aligning business strategies with technology demands to meet sustainability targets. This article delves into the key insights unveiled by Intel’s research, emphasizing the critical role of CTOs in driving sustainable transformations and exploring the strategic roadmap for these technology leaders.

The Imperative for Tech-Driven Sustainable Transformation

Greg Lavender, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, and General Manager of the Software and Advanced Technology Group at Intel, asserts that technological advancements play a vital role in facilitating sustainable transformations. Lavender states, “Enterprise leaders are approaching the interconnected challenges of sustainability and radical digital transformation. Technology has a critical role to play in sustainable transformation.” He further emphasizes the need for the C-suite, including CTOs and CIOs, to unite in support of a tech-positive approach, enabling technological transformations that propel us towards a future that is greener, fairer, and smarter.

The Evolving Role of the CTO: A Catalyst for Sustainability

According to Intel’s research, senior IT leaders exhibit a strong desire to become sustainability leaders, with 79% aspiring to assume this crucial role. Furthermore, 82% of CEOs and chief sustainability officers (CSOs) recognize the pivotal nature of the CTO role in ensuring successful sustainability transitions. This new model of the CTO focuses on achieving “tech zero,” which involves reducing an organization’s IT function’s carbon footprint. Additionally, CTOs are tasked with utilizing technology to drive net-zero goals, known as “tech positive,” thereby fostering business growth and accelerating innovation across the entire organization.

Empowering Sustainable CTOs: Intel’s Advisory Board and Best Practices

Intel has taken proactive steps to support the transition towards sustainable technology leadership by establishing an advisory board comprising tech and sustainability experts across various sectors. Collaboratively, the board aims to identify best practices that assist organizations in charting their path towards becoming tech-positive entities while considering real-world business demands. Motti Finkelstein, Intel Corporate Vice President and Digital Transformation Officer, emphasizes the significance of collaboration, stating, “CTOs can’t navigate the challenges they will face alone. We aim to help CTOs on their sustainability journey and outline the roadmap for organizations to achieve their sustainability goals.”

Overcoming the Tech Trilemma: Addressing Knowledge, Investment, and Innovation Gaps

Intel’s global research revealed that 70% of senior IT leaders believe their organizations require significant change or complete transformation to become net-zero businesses. However, CTOs encounter a tech trilemma characterized by a lack of knowledge, investment, and innovation, hindering their ability to drive this transformative agenda. The research further underscores the critical need for technology strategy and sustainability strategy alignment, with 82% of senior IT leaders emphasizing their interdependence. Additionally, 80% of respondents believe that their organizations heavily rely on technology and CTOs to enhance their sustainability efforts, while 70% assert that IT functions’ support and action are vital to achieving net-zero targets.

Roadmap for Sustainable CTOs: Key Success Factors

To effectively guide the transition towards tech zero, respondents highlighted four key success factors for the CTO’s Sustainability Roadmap:

• Building skills to identify optimization opportunities.
• Garnering buy-in from the wider business.
• Understanding data and optimizing existing infrastructure.
• Planning for solution and software innovation.
• Seizing the Opportunity: The CTO’s Influence on Sustainability Strategy

CEOs widely recognize sustainability as the primary growth driver for organizations between now and 2030, closely followed by digitization. With 82% of CEOs and CSOs acknowledging the amplified influence of the CTO role on sustainability strategies, the time has come for CTOs to embrace the mantle of the Sustainable CTO and rise to the challenge.

Intel’s comprehensive research report, “The Sustainable CTO,” sheds light on the instrumental role of CTOs in spearheading sustainable transformations within organizations. By aligning business strategies with technology demands, CTOs can drive the transition towards tech zero, reducing carbon footprints and fostering net-zero goals. Collaboration, knowledge empowerment, and strategic planning will empower CTOs to overcome the tech trilemma and leverage technology for sustainable business growth. As sustainability takes center stage in the global agenda, CTOs have the opportunity to become catalysts for change, enabling a greener, fairer, and smarter future through tech-driven sustainability transitions.