Environmental sustainability in software-intensive companies in Finland : towards actionable understanding

Abstract

Digitalisation and digital services are integral to society, and the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C places pressure on the ICT sector, which contributes an estimated 2.1 to 3.9 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Motivated in part by Finland’s 2021 ICT Climate Strategy, this dissertation examines how environmental sustainability could be accelerated in software-intensive companies. Using a mixed-methods design that combined participatory research, design science research, systems thinking, and thematic analysis, data were collected primarily through interviews and supplemented with workshops, surveys, and project events. The research produced a comprehensive synthesis of the problem space and several insights to make the topic more accessible to software-intensive companies. The findings indicate that environmental sustainability in software-intensive organisations is multifaceted, and that although many companies are aware of the issue, clear guidance on what actions they should take is often lacking. The key insights concern environmental sustainability across the software life cycle and support more systematic adoption of sustainable practices.