June 27, 2024
This article is a celebration of some of the fantastic work happening across government, and a call to action for us all to support and amplify these efforts.
It's been five years since I left the Civil Service, and in that time, my understanding of climate change has deepened profoundly. I've learned not just about the science and the urgency but also about our collective role in mitigating its effects. The Civil Service has learned a lot too and has been evolving just as rapidly to embrace sustainability in exciting and innovative ways.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of the dedicated individuals and teams driving these changes. I’m here to share their stories and some thoughts on how we, as suppliers and colleagues, can help them succeed.
Trailblazers Leading the Charge
Let’s start with those at the forefront of change – the trailblazers.
One standout leader is the OneLogin team at GDS. Their radical thinking is pushing boundaries and I remember a member of the team asking a simple yet profound question at a sustainability roundtable arranged by Kin + Carta: “Are paper towels better than hand dryers?” That question embodies a knack for boiling things down to knotty questions that people can identify with, challenging the status quo and driving deeper enquiry. GDS One Login have done lots of work to measure and manage their carbon footprint, and continue to push boundaries, influencing the Service Standard and fostering a culture that questions and rethinks our environmental impact across government digital services.
Another key focus area in GDS is digital sustainability. People are looking to tackle digital sustainability by mapping end-to-end journeys and measuring their impact, starting with One Login and looking beyond. They are digging into everything from device usage to recycling practices, and collaborating with the service standard team to ensure sustainability is woven into the fabric of our digital projects.
Disruptors Sparking Change
Next, let's talk about the positive disruptors – those who shake things up and drive progress.
For a while, DWP have had some very vocal positive disruptors around sustainable digital in government, and the current team are no exception. They are not only dynamic thought leaders and speakers within their department, they are leading the way across government. with a groundbreaking focus on mapping and managing the carbon footprint of government services. They have driven the linking of data from various government bodies through innovative hacks and partnerships, and are actively encouraging suppliers like Valtech to help them on the journey as the whole of society will benefit from it.
The Sustainable service design team in DEFRA are another remarkable group of disruptors. Their pioneering leadership in designing planet-centered principles for government services and their nine core principles and 24 guidelines are already influencing how we approach sustainable service design. Their recent hack day at Services Week put these principles to the test, driving real-world applications and sparking interest across departments. Their work is paving the way for GDS to revise service manual pages to reflect sustainable service design in a better way.
Governance Structures and Their Impact
Governance and reporting are crucial in the Civil Service. They signal what’s important and provide the mandate needed for action. The five departmental clusters aiming to enhance shared services, for example, are including sustainability performance in their key metrics. For over a decade, the UK Government Sustainable IT group has been a champion of environmental benchmarks. They manage the STAR reporting process, which tracks key metrics such as hosting supplier emissions and equipment reuse. Their success in integrating a new sustainability clause into the Technology Code of Practice is a testament to their influence.
A particularly exciting development is the formation of the Cross-Government Digital Sustainability Strategy Group (XGDSSG). This forum, where digital sustainability leads from across government convene, is a historic first. Representatives from GDS, the Home Office, Cabinet Office and others are coming together to share insights and strategies. Their inaugural meeting in May 2024 marked the beginning of a collaborative journey that promises to drive significant progress.
Culture Change and Support Networks
The Civil Service Climate and Environment Network (CSCEN) is another vital component of our collective sustainability efforts. With a membership nearing ten thousand civil and public servants, CSCEN is a powerful force for change. Their events, drawing thousands of attendees; and their digital content, engaging tens of thousands more, are fostering a culture of climate and environmental awareness across government.
CSCEN’s greatest strength lies in its ability to connect colleagues from diverse departments, including high-level interviews with leaders like the UK Cabinet Secretary. This network is transforming the way the Civil Service thinks about climate and the environment, driving a shift towards a more sustainable future.
Adding Our Support
Reflecting on my time in the Civil Service, I remember the challenges of driving change within such a vast organization. But I also remember the immense reward that comes from making a difference. The trailblazers, disruptors and governance pioneers I've mentioned are doing incredible work, but they need our support to achieve even more.
As suppliers, we have a crucial role to play. Here’s how we can help:
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Be proactive allies: support and advise our Civil Service colleagues, sharing our insights and learning. Engage with them on social media, amplify their voices, and be available for discussions that drive new ideas and solutions.
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Leverage alliances: the Government Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA) is a coalition of suppliers working on key sustainability initiatives. Those who are part of it (soon to include Valtech) should maximize the opportunity to innovate and share our findings widely.
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Sponsor and support: providing resources and sponsorship can significantly boost sustainability initiatives. For example, our sponsorship of CSCEN at Civil Service Live in 2022 led to hundreds of new network sign-ups. These contributions make a tangible difference in advancing sustainability goals.
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Integrate sustainability into projects: use our government projects as platforms to support broader sustainability efforts within client organizations. During our work with a major government department, we assisted with sustainability communications and training, extending our impact beyond the immediate project.
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Host hackathons: hackathons are powerful tools for fostering innovation and collaboration. There has been an impressive succession of events over the last six months, creating greater momentum and awareness, from Hippo’s Cold Weather payments with DWP, to TPX Impact’s Greener Services Hack day at the end of Services Week 2024. Going back further you can find LOTI’s London Climate Goals Design Sprint, and the hackathon that Valtech ran with OFGEM on how to respond to the climate change emergency. These events spark creativity and generate actionable ideas. They bring people together to tackle specific challenges and can lead to significant breakthroughs.
While our government colleagues are making tremendous strides in sustainability, they can achieve even more with our support. Together, we can amplify their efforts, drive positive change, and create a more sustainable future for all.
To find out more about what Valtech is doing to support our Civil Service colleagues and how we might be able to help you, please:
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Have a look at our G-Cloud sustainability listing for Sustainable Cloud Technology Assessment.
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We will be at Open Data Camp on 6th and 7th July 2024, and GovX’s Transformation Summit on 5th and 6th November 2024, and more plans will be released soon.
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Speak to a member of our team about any questions or ideas you have. We are always keen to talk and see how we can help and even one conversation can have a massive impact on your organisation’s environmental footprint.