A commitment to the future
"Using ICT intelligently, promoting sustainability, is strategic to the mission of FCCN and its employees," says João Nuno Ferreira, General Coordinator of FCCN.
This motto is at the root of the FCCN +Sustainable project, created by the FCT's FCCN Unit, which aims to strengthen the alignment of FCCN 's activity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The 17 SDGs define the global priorities and aspirations for 2030, undertaken by the 193 countries of the United Nations in areas that affect the quality of life of all the world's citizens. For the FCCN +Sustainable project, 5 of these SDGs were selected as pillars for its implementation, namely:
The FCCN +Sustainable project aims to adopt good environmental practices and innovative network technology as viable alternatives to sources of pollution and harmful emissions. The initiative also seeks to balance efficiency, environmental responsibility and environmental and well-being practices in a constantly evolving technological landscape.
Recognizing its social and economic responsibility as a technological partner of the scientific and research communities, within the scope of FCCN +Sustainable FCCN is committed to minimizing waste and the carbon footprint, among other measures. Optimizing energy and material efficiency in technological services is another of this project's distinctive features, demonstrating the ambition for greater economic and ecological sustainability.
A preliminary internal and external analysis showed that FCCN has already adopted positive practices, indicating an upward trajectory towards a more sustainable future. Specifically, in relation to the ECO.AP 2030 program - the Public Administration Resource Efficiency Program, FCCN shows good results, complying with around 56% of the proposed actions. The commitment extends into the future, with 33% of these actions expected to be fulfilled.
To further deepen the search for sustainable practices, under the FCCN +Sustainable project, FCCN conducted an internal pre-assessment questionnaire. The answers revealed measures already adopted in the workplace and in employees' personal lives, as well as suggestions for new practices to be implemented. In general, this questionnaire confirmed that a significant proportion of employees are aware of the importance of sustainability and are already involved in actions in this area.
The FCCN +Sustainable Project demonstrates that ICT can be a driving force for a better and more sustainable future, despite being one of the sectors with the highest energy consumption and consequent impact on the environment.
