IT increasingly plays a leading role in business operations from data centers to shipping logistics, as well as enabling companies to reduce business travel for meetings and commuting. And the rise of greenhouse gas emissions laws like the U.K's Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency program makes an even stronger case for incorporating IT into every level of the enterprise.

The confluence of IT's increasing role in business and the rise of carbon legislation opens up a number of opportunities for IT departments. In order to seize on those opportunities, Greenstone Carbon Management this week laid out the steps that IT professionals and resellers can use to put technology to work on meeting legislative requirements for carbon emissions, while also cutting costs from energy used across any business.

{related_content}1. Measure, report and reduce carbon emissions generated by IT. Because many companies are now requiring suppliers and service providers report their GHG footprints, IT managers that know their emissions impact and have a plan in place to reduce those emissions can gain a competitive edge.

2. Use IT to reduce total carbon emissions. Once the IT department has got its own emissions under control, it's possible to expand that impact throughout the company. Implementing building controls, smart grids, teleconferencing and other technologies can make significant impacts on a company's carbon footprint.

3. Stay on top of carbon reduction legislation. The CRC Energy Efficiency Program is a mandatory carbon reduction scheme, that goes into effect this month, and targets large users of electricity in the U.K. By staying on top of the requirements of that law and other pieces of legislation, companies and IT resellers can boost their green credentials compared to lagging firms, while also avoiding fines for failing to comply with the laws.

"Green ICT represents a great opportunity to deliver cost savings, carbon reduction and increased profitability," Ram Ramachander, the Chief Operating Officer of Greenstone Carbon, said in a statement. "Resellers therefore need to get on top of the green IT agenda and by maximizing on the opportunities and minimizing risks both for themselves and their clients. It needs to be led from senior management as the changes required to service this new demand will permeate throughout the organization, from operations to sales."