We set out to identify the key areas where the ICT sector can make the biggest contribution to sustainability.

Our objective was to make sure GeSI and member companies are focusing on the most material issues. GeSI commissioned the consultancy, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), to carry out research in 2007. BSR’s investigation of global trends and priority issues included a series of stakeholder events in China, Europe, India and the US.

We published a report in May 2008 identifying 10 key sustainability issues for the ICT sector:

• Climate change
• Waste and materials use
• Access to ICT 
• Freedom of expression 
• Privacy and security
• Employee relationships
• Customer relationships
• Supply chain
• Product use issues (including health, safety and wellbeing) 
• Economic development.

Based on these findings, we developed a methodology to help member companies assess their most material issues. It is used to create a materiality matrix plotting he significance of around 80 core sustainability criteria for the company and its stakeholders. Reflecting the differences between sub-sectors, additional criteria are tailored for electronic equipment manufacturers, software developers, telecommunications and internet service providers. 

Next steps

The materiality working group has completed its task and it is now the responsibility of member companies to put the methodology into use, identifying and addressing their material issues.