PC shutdown a huge carbon saving for HSBC New Zealand

HSBC New Zealand has reduced its carbon emissions by nearly 30,000 kilos this year by introducing the automatic PC switch-off technology NightWatchman.

Each night at 7.30pm, if an employee has not switched their PC off, then NightWatchman saves their work and shuts down their computer for them.

To absorb 30,000 kilos of carbon naturally it would require 3,600 trees to be planted - the equivalent of three rugby fields worth of dense forest.

This Green IT initiative has been rolled out to all 8,000 HSBC offices across 87 countries worldwide, reducing global carbon emissions this year by more than 34 million kilos. For this 34 million kilos of carbon to be absorbed, it would take more than four million trees to be planted (28,075 rugby fields).

David Griffiths, CEO of HSBC New Zealand says: “We saw this as one way we could reduce our impact on the environment. As a bank we see it as our responsibility to consider not only the economic impacts but also the social and environmental impacts of our decisions. The fact that we have reduced our carbon emissions by 30,000 kilos per annum – the equivalent of planting 3,600 trees, and we believe we have shown we take our responsibility seriously.”

A major benefit of this green IT initiative is the cost savings. Worldwide HSBC has saved more than US$1m (NZ$1.3m) in energy costs after rolling out the technology on 300,000 computers across the globe.

“We have been very pleased with the great results from the local implementation of this initiative and look forward to seeing what other operational activities could be altered to achieve further economic and environmental results,” concludes Mr Griffiths.