Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
As Earth Day kicks off, it is an important reminder for small and medium-sized companies (SMBs) to rethink how you can method their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practices in relation to the tech they use. SMBs are the spine of the worldwide economic system, making up roughly 90% of businesses worldwide and are liable for 60-70% of global industrial emissions. That is an enormous environmental footprint, however it additionally means SMBs are uniquely positioned to drive actual change.
With the worldwide creation of e-waste projected to achieve 82 million tonnes by 2030 and the demand for AI-powered computing on the rise, SMBs have a robust alternative — and duty — to guide in vitality effectivity greatest practices, leveraging long-lasting, conscious supplies and moral sourcing. By making smarter, extra energy-efficient choices at the moment, companies of all sizes — particularly SMBs — might help scale back e-waste, reduce their environmental influence and assist construct a extra environmentally accountable, progressive digital future for generations to come back.
This is how small companies can begin making a long-lasting influence — one smart move at a time.
Associated: 6 Ways to Profitably Integrate Eco-Friendly Practices into Your Business
Lower vitality prices with AI — with out sacrificing efficiency
SMBs typically face hurdles like restricted assets and the excessive upfront prices related to extra sustainable technologies. Nonetheless, improvements are actually serving to degree the enjoying subject.
The rise of AI-powered computing can assist broader ESG and sustainability ambitions by way of smarter vitality use. For instance, AI-enabled laptops at the moment characteristic clever energy optimization algorithms that dynamically alter vitality consumption based mostly on workload, serving to methods run extra effectively with out drawing pointless energy. Many SMBs are additionally exploring into AI to streamline operations — 89% are already using AI tools to automate duties. This is not nearly saving time, it is about decreasing vitality and useful resource waste throughout workflows.
Past end-user units, AI is driving larger effectivity throughout infrastructure. AI-powered enterprise options might help information facilities handle workloads extra intelligently and scale back vitality use. And with the sting computing market anticipated to develop nearly 37% yearly by way of 2030, there is a rising emphasis on localized processing that limits energy-intensive information transfers. In the meantime, enhancements in liquid cooling, airflow design and modularity are extending system lifespans and supporting extra round approaches to IT. We’re additionally seeing extra tech producers incorporate plastic-free packaging and energy-efficient designs, aligning innovation with evolving sustainability targets.
By integrating AI into vitality and infrastructure administration, companies have extra instruments to drive effectivity and assist scale back waste.
Associated: How AI Is Leveling the Playing Field For Small Businesses to Compete With Industry Giants
Advance round economic system practices
Sustainability is not nearly how tech is used — it is about the way it’s made, used and reused. For SMBs, embracing circular economy practices will be probably the most impactful methods to enhance useful resource effectivity, scale back each price and environmental influence.
One of the vital easy steps is investing in know-how that includes recycled supplies. Selecting laptops and desktops that embody post-consumer content material (PCC) plastics or recycled metals might help scale back reliance on virgin supplies and helps extra accountable sourcing practices. As of 2025, a rising variety of Fortune 500 corporations have made public commitments associated to local weather motion. A World Financial Discussion board report cites that particularly, 78% of Fortune 500s have set climate-related targets, although solely 12% have established goals tied to biodiversity loss. This hole presents each a problem and a chance for companies — particularly small and midsize ones — to guide by instance. By selecting smarter know-how options and providers, SMBs can align with their broader sustainability targets whereas distinguishing themselves in a aggressive market more and more pushed by aware consumerism.
Past PCC plastics, some tech merchandise now combine ocean-bound plastics (OBP) — plastic waste collected from areas close to coastlines and waterways the place it’s liable to coming into the ocean. By choosing units and equipment that make the most of OBP, SMBs might help tackle marine air pollution whereas minimizing reliance on virgin plastic sources. Accountable sourcing and design decisions like these are a part of constructing extra sustainable know-how ecosystems.
Modular and repairable know-how additionally performs a key position. Gadgets which can be simpler to improve or repair lengthen their usable life, serving to scale back the necessity for early alternative. That is particularly necessary as a result of less than 12% of e-waste is at the moment recycled, whereas greater than 85% is incinerated — typically with environmental penalties. This waste stream makes sturdiness and repairability extra essential than ever.
Lastly, SMBs also can think about buy-back, refurbishment and system take-back applications to make sure tech stays in circulation longer. This method not solely might help scale back landfill waste however typically unlock monetary financial savings and potential incentives.
Associated: 5 Trends Small Business Owners Need to Watch in 2025
A greener future begins with smarter decisions
SMBs have a singular alternative and influential position in shaping a more sustainable future. By embracing energy-efficient applied sciences, integrating synthetic intelligence to optimize operations and adopting round economic system practices, SMBs could make strides in the direction of considerably decreasing their environmental footprint whereas concurrently enhancing operational effectivity. These strategic decisions not solely contribute to world sustainability targets but in addition place SMBs competitively in a market more and more pushed by environmental consciousness.
This Earth Month, let’s reaffirm our dedication to being smarter, greener and extra accountable in relation to selecting our know-how options — as a result of the way forward for computing have to be each accountable and progressive.
The following step begins at the moment. How will your online business prepared the ground?
