Carbon reduction as an efficiency metric

In March of 2023, Posetiv undertook a survey to gain insights into the motivations of developers, particularly those heavily utilising public cloud services in large global organisations. We asked one straightforward question:

"As a significant user of public cloud services, which waste reduction metric would be the most effective in motivating you to optimise usage and eliminate waste?"

The options offered were carbon reduction, spend reduction, both, and neither.

The results were quite illuminating: a remarkable 69% of respondents prioritised carbon reduction, 14% placed spend reduction at the top, 12% considered both equally important, and 5% were not motivated by either of these metrics. 

These findings present an intriguing departure from traditional views, indicating that developers are increasingly prioritising sustainability over cost savings. This reflects a broader shift in the IT industry, and indeed society at large, towards more environmentally responsible practices.

The implication for enterprises consuming large amounts of cloud resources is clear: incorporating sustainability into their digital strategies is not just ethically sound, but also has the potential to resonate with their developer workforce.

We aren't suggesting that the financial aspect of cost efficiencies should be ignored (although it was the primary motivator for only 14% of developers), but it's worth noting that cost savings are often a welcome side effect of carbon reduction efforts, such as optimising cloud usage. Developers understand that sustainability and economic efficiency can coexist, and their efforts can contribute to both organisational goals and environmental stewardship.

The survey also raised further points of interest. For instance, the 12% of developers who gave equal weight to carbon and spend reduction demonstrate a balanced approach, blending financial prudence with environmental responsibility.

The motivations of the remaining 5%, unmoved by either metric, remain an open question, suggesting the potential for further exploration of alternative motivations and methods to promote FinOps efficiency.

In conclusion, the survey results indicate that developers' priorities are evolving. The considerable emphasis on carbon reduction signifies a growing awareness and commitment towards sustainability within the developer community. Our view is that you may find your developers respond far more favourably to savings targets based on the environment than they do cost, meaning that carbon should become a KPI and target metric in your digital armoury.