Online Collaboration: the future of networking for low emissions projects and companies

The Sustainability Plus Technology Forum is a one day event in Sydney 30 September 2009. I will be speaking on "Online Collaboration: the future of networking for low emissions projects and companies". I changed the topic I was given to speak on slightly, replacing "desktop" with "virtual desktop" to take into account that wireless mobile devices will replace many desk-bound applications:

The development of new industries and clean technologies is moving fast, surpassed only by introduction of new collaborative online networks. Is collaboration from the virtual desktop the future for a whole new sustainability industry.

Here is the draft program for the day:

08:30am | OPENING REMARKS FROM THE CHAIR Andrew Milroy, Industry Director, ICT Group, Frost & Sullivan

08:40am | OPENING BY SENATOR THE HON
PENNY WONG, Minister for Climate Change and Water,
(tbc)

09:00am | DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN TELSTRA

• How is Telstra leveraging its own technology to drive sustainability within it’s organisation?
• What areas have seen significant environmental improvements and cost reductions?
• What are the barriers to driving sustainable ICT, and how are we overcoming them?

Bill Bien, Executive Director, Telstra
09:20am | IT AND SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE:
THE CONVENIENT TRUTH

• What is the status of sustainable ICT in Australia?
• Discover the business drivers?
• Find out about the real benefits for Australian companies?
• Overcoming the barriers to adopting sustainable technology?

Alison O’Flynn, Head of Sustainability, Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand

09:50am | Morning Break and networking

10:20am | CIO Perspective: Using ICT to drive sustainability , increase efficiencies and reduce costs across the enterprise

Three sustainability leaders discuss completed and ongoing ICT projects within their organisations and what cost efficiencies have been achieved.

Panelists:

• Ken Major, CIO, VISY
• Stephen Tame, CIO, JetStar
• Gary Whatley, CIO, Corporate Express

Moderated by: Paul Harrapin, Managing Director, VMWare

11:20am | “Creating sustainable data centres” - aN OXYMORON or a new reality?

• What steps can you take to improve the efficiency of a data centre?
• Looking beyond the physical environment of your data centre as a driver for real sustainable outcomes and cost savings.
• Will the carbon-aware operating framework (e.g. NGERS obligations) affect the way businesses do IT?

Leonard Chan, Future Technologies Manager,
Macquarie Hosting

11:50am | CASE STUDY (tbc)

12:20pm | Lunch and Networking

1:20pm | Addressing the challenges of E-Waste

• How are Australian businesses approaching the issue?
• National scheme and the byteback program
• How successful are voluntary product stewardship schemes?
• Will legislative schemes really get the traction?
• What are the implications for the corporate sector?
• If legislation does come into effect - how will the various schemes work together in the business sector?

Introductions by: Josh Millen, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, Australian Information Industry, Association (AIIA)

Janet Leslie, Quality, Safety and Environment Manager,
Canon Australia

Panellists:

• Jane Castle, Total Environment Centre,
• Jan Van Der Graaf, Sustainability Victoria

Moderated by: Ramsay Moodie, Director, Corporate Affairs, Fuji Xerox

2:20pm | Can Clouds have a silver lining for Green IT?

• How are businesses responding to the challenge to improve the energy efficiency of their IT infrastructure?
• What is cloud-computing and where does it fit?
• How can cloud-computing help improve sustainability performance?

Bob Hayward, Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, CSC

2:50pm | Afternoon Break and networking

3:20pm | International Keynote
Gartner’s Sustainability Scenario: The role of ICT in improved environmental performance Issues surrounding environmental sustainability will have a significant impact on how organisations use ICT over the next 5 years.

Companies will need to maintain a focus on continuing to
improve the environmental performance of their IT Infrastructure, but far more importantly, driving substantial improvements in the environmental performance of the enterprise.

• Why and how will the issues of sustainability shape enterprise strategy?
• What are the implications for ICT?
• What are the next steps for enabling substantial improvement in environmental performance?

Simon Mingay, Research Vice President (UK), Gartner

3:50pm | CASE STUDY: How can technology drive sustainability within the Financial Services Sector?

• IT strategy to drive energy efficiency within an organisation
• Where does one start?
• How do you mobilise support for the initiatives?
• Mary Hawkins, Managing Director, Green IT Solutions

Mary is the former Head of Technology, Sustainability and
Community Programs at a major Australian financial services company. With over 20 years experience working in the ICT industry, Mary offers a unique insight into the link technology will play now and in the future in delivering environmental efficiencies, energy reductions and significant cost savings.

4:20pm | Panel: Green ICT skills

• What skills do companies need now and in the future to support environmental initiatives.
• Identifying what the marketplace needs.
• Meeting IT team training needs, including essential technical skills.

Panelists:

• Bianca Wirth, Environmental Technologist, Green IT Strategy
• Aditya Ghose, Professor, Woolongong University,
• Peter Werner, Director, Carbon Careers

4.55pm | Online Collaboration – the future of networking for low emissions projects and companies?

The development of new industries and clean technologies is moving fast, surpassed only by introduction of new collaborative online networks. Is collaboration from the desktop the future for a whole new sustainability industry?
Speaker (tbc)

5:15pm | CLOSE and networking drinks

From: Sustainability Plus Technology Forum Programme, Dealers’ Group, 2009