Measuring Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Benefits and Environmental Impact ∼ Joint Project Exploring Development of Common Eco-efficiency Evaluation

The most advanced ICT companies in Japan have started to apply the eco-efficiency concept as their performance evaluation and/or sales and marketing tools. In this paper, the concept of eco-efficiency applied for ICT is described firstly. Second, an overview of joint activities led by those ICT companies is explained, which is a project to develop eco-efficiency evaluations that can help companies to measure environmental reduction and impact caused by ICT services. Finally, an ICT eco-efficiency guideline that has been developed recently is introduced. The guideline is intended to assist companies in explaining their environmental activities connected to ICT introduction strategically. It explains the possibilities in a practical way and looks at simple and effective services that can be used in their environmental management activities and ICT adoption. It describes methodologies and calculation processes based on life cycle analysis (LCA)