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Special Membership Offer
for Universities and Non-Profit Organizations

We need to start thinking about technology differently. That’s why we started Responsible Computing, a consortium for organizations that provides a framework for setting responsible corporate policies. We are building a systemic approach, addressing current and future challenges in sustainability, including ethics, cost savings, and computing.

Realizing that no organization could fix this alone, Responsible Computing was founded by members IBM and Dell to help organizations stand together to create a collaborative standard model. As sustainability has taken off globally, academic and research institutions play an essential role in research and development, helping to create an ecosystem rich with opportunity for a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable future for all.

Our special pricing of $950 annually for universities and non-profit members provides membership access to all employees and actively enrolled university students.

Our Academia & Research members are collaborating on:

  • Leveraging responsible computing methodologies and frameworks for education, future skillset development, and research to develop the industry and solve global challenges.
  • Creating self-assessment tools, and conducting research on responsible computing domains including code, impact, systems, data usage, data centers, and infrastructure.
  • Opening a dialog between academic/research institutions studying sustainability, technology, and global climate change initiatives tied to ESG goals.

Together we shape ways to restore trust in technology by applying a sustainable framework and sharing our experiences with others. Our member’s focus on these principles of responsible computing breaks down sustainability silos to foster productive global collaboration.

Join Responsible Computing to shape the future of sustainability:

RESPONSIBLE IMPACT

Technologies and innovations that drive positive impact for society at large

Goals
• Offset the impact on the planet in the categories of ESG (Environmental, Social and
Governmental)
• Level the playing field through: Sustainability/Circularity, Diversity/Inclusion, Climate,
Openness, Ethics

Approach
Six prime and measurable maturity characteristics represent the ability to achieve Responsible Impact:
1. Goal Setting
2. Scalability
3. Replicability
4. Socially-responsible business model/strategy
5. Measurable
6. Traceable to a UN SDG (United Nations Sustainability Development Goals)

Benefits
• Improved operational efficiencies across the board
• Visibility as a global leader in responsible computing
• Compliance with legislation, governance standards and evolving cultural norms

RESPONSIBLE DATA CENTER

Data centers designed and operated with an emphasis on sustainability

Goals
• Reduce environmental impact with more efficient strategy and design
• Migrate to renewable energy sources
• Monitor consumption and carbon footprint
• Optimize re-use of waste from cooling and production
• Strive to be net zero by 2030 in compliance with UN SDGs

Approach
• Reducing energy consumption with accurate measurements
• Strategizing for technology refreshes
• Implementing renewable energy sources
• Identifying cooling considerations based on location
• Focusing on cooling, power, distribution, UPS service, generators, cables and racks with emphasis on use and re-use of materials

Benefits
• Increased operational efficiency with environmental considerations
• Reduced energy consumption
• Decreased CO2 emissions
• Less reliance on rare metals and toxic materials

RESPONSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE

Efficient use of available and future technology

Goals
• Realize greater efficiencies with infrastructure designed to deliver high-performing
sustainable operations
• Consolidate workloads that peak at different times to compliment each other and increase
efficient use of resources
• Obtain high levels of utilization (which can be improved by consolidation) to deliver more
efficient use of energy and resources

Approach
• Establish a baseline measurement on energy usage and material/asset lifecycle
• Improve analysis and reporting based on experience and established baseline
• Request each IT infrastructure vendor to provide information and reports on energy usage
and product lifecycle

Benefits
• Savings in physical space
• Reduced waste and consumption
• Manage ESG impact of the hardware, software and networks required to develop, test,
deliver, monitor, control and support IT services
• Consolidation and rationalization that enables individuals and organizations to have
a positive impact on the world

RESPONSIBLE DATA USAGE

Data that is securely used in ways that drive transparency, fairness and respect for the users

Goals
• Certify that the data used, processes and people are trusted and high quality
• Reduce errors and misinterpretation of data from manual handling by deploying intelligent
workflows
• Remain competitive and nimbly respond to quality data while embracing innovation from
applying artificial intelligence and machine learning

Approach
• More robust policies, guidelines and practices for the governance of data (e.g., maintaining
lineage and explain-ability)
• Ongoing data usage risk-assessment and risk mitigation with responsible computing in mind
• Managing the lifecycle of data with accountable data-retention and destruction practices
Incident response and data breach remediation

Benefits
• Minimal errors in the data that could lead lead to financial losses, wrong executive decisions
or destroy the integrity of individuals, enterprises or even markets
• Effective and efficient use of data
• Heightened collaboration between the business and IT

RESPONSIBLE SYSTEMS

Inclusive systems that address bias and discrimination driving equality for all

Goals
• Ensure the “systems” employ an integrated set of technologies to provide a service to human beings. It can be composed of hardware, data, code, models and services
• Build systems that are ethical, privacy-preserving, secure and resilient. Systems will be
designed with the environment, individuals, society and the future taken into consideration
in IT decisions

Approach
Responsible Systems are designed with a 3 layered approach:
1. A cultural ethos across the entire supporting organization
2. The use of forensic technology that can monitor, detect issues to enable trust
3. Governance requirements to which the entire organization adheres

Benefits
• Maintaining integrity of internal systems
• Achieving compliance with internal and external standards
• Ongoing monitoring to ensure companies develop and use responsible systems
• Reinforced corporate social responsibility and closing the digital divide

RESPONSIBLE CODE

Conscious code choices that optimize environmental, social and economic impact over time

 

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