Tech Insider - Spotlight series, July 2024

Hey there!

Don’t worry, we’re going to explain our new look. While Tech Insider has previously been based on exclusive updates from our specialists, we’re changing our style and approach.

We’ll feed your appetite for all things tech by releasing 'News’ editions of Tech Insider on a monthly basis, focusing on multiple, quick-fire must-knows. Then, once a quarter, we’ll release one ‘Spotlight Series’ focused on a specific area, including some great stories and examples of how technology brings people and businesses together for good.?

We really hope you enjoy this new approach.

For over a year, we’ve shared stories spanning AI, cyber security, accessibility, mental health, and more. In that spirit, we’re devoting this issue to something we’re all involved with. Something that matters to us. And by us, we mean everyone. Not just you, not just your organisation, not just the country. But the world.

(If you haven’t guessed it already, we’re looking at the environment).

Our journey begins about 200 miles and a 5-hour (electric) car ride away from our offices in Pocklington, heading to Worthy Farm, Glastonbury. The Glastonbury Festival is the biggest in the UK, boasting a capacity of over 200,000 people, 100 stages, and 2,000 acts. These numbers increased by 22% between 2023 and 2024, and yet Glastonbury has still reduced its impact on the environment compared to last year. ?

In both 2023 and 2024, the festival was entirely powered by renewable fuels and energy. Their implementation of the Worthy Pledge and extensive Green Policies ensure all attendees do their best to protect the environment. As a result, over 98% of tents have been taken home after each festival since 2019. Generators used to power the famous Pyramid stage are run on sustainable, renewable HVO fuel, reducing CO2e emissions by 90%.

During the summer months when festivals are constant, it’s a breath of fresh air to see one so focused on the environment.

If Glastonbury can do it, so can you.

We’re guessing you’re not Michael Eavis, Founder and Organiser of Glastonbury Festival, so we can’t reasonably ask you to dedicate your life’s mission to promoting sustainability at festivals while protecting the arts. But we emphasise the need to make small changes to protect our planet.

Take this project as an example. The UK Department for Education, University of Warwick, ICT carbon footprint specialists PX3, and Phoenix approached schools across the UK to calculate their end-user computing carbon footprint to help sustainable ICT research.

Carbon footprints can be reduced by 30% by adopting responsible consumption strategies within organisations responsible for purchasing ICT equipment at scale.

Working with schools across the country to optimise end-user computing and devices will reduce their footprint. There are over 32,000 schools in the UK. If each of these schools put processes and guidelines in place for responsible consumption, and took part in studies like the above, the result would be staggering. The average energy consumption for a UK school is approximately 400,000 kWh a year. Reducing this by 30% in every school will make a significant difference to our sustainability as a country.

Smaller actions are making a big difference.

Back in our main offices, we’ve produced 44,950 kWh (kilowatt-hours) of energy from our solar panels since early April. This much energy can:

·??????? Power the average UK home for 12 years

·??????? Allow the average Electric Vehicle (EV) to travel approximately 187,292 miles

·??????? Power one 60-watt light bulb for 85.5 years

·??????? Run a central air conditioning unit for about 12.84 years

·??????? Power a desktop computer for about 224,750 hours or 25.6 years if used 24/ 7

We know we have more to do, but we want to encourage more businesses and individuals to get involved and make a difference. By working together and doing our bit, whether small or large, we can make a huge difference together. Small stones make big ripples.

We're validated!

On the topic of sustainability, we’re excited to share that our carbon reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)!

Validating our targets in this way takes us one step closer to preventing climate change

Find out more here .

In other news, we’re exploring the other headlines impacting technology right now.

Consider both inbound and outbound

Remember that time you sent an email to the wrong person and had to explain why you were looking at holiday destinations on your work laptop? Yeah.

While that scenario only takes an awkward conversation to fix, sending emails unencrypted or to the wrong recipient can mean disaster for your organisation.

Check out our tips for mastering outbound email security here .

Copilot+ PCs to save you that moment of panic

Now where did I save that file!? When did I send that email? Did I even send the email in the first place??

We know you’ve asked yourself these questions before. And so do Microsoft and Dell. Which is why their new Copilot+ PCs are not only equipped with over 40 trillion operations per second and a 27-hour battery life, but also a brand-new feature: Recall.

Now you can sit comfortably, using a laptop specifically designed to handle heavy AI workloads, knowing you can find anything, anytime.

Meet the new Copilot+ PCs now .

Protect your AD from increasing threats

25 billion.

That’s the amount of Active Directory (AD) attacks a year.

Your AD is there to simplify data, but at times becomes an entirely different ballpark, using up limited resource and your time in maintaining, organising, and securing assets.

To our AD partners, Active Directory security isn’t just an afterthought, it’s a priority.

Protect your Active Directory now .

The importance of employee engagement

Passion bleeds excellence.

Your thoughts, feelings, and intentions are reflected in your output. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that 91% of employees at organisations that provide wellbeing initiatives feel motivated to do their best.

By supporting employees to feel their best, they will do their best.

Discover the importance of employee engagement now .

Chat to one of our specialists for free to explore how to overcome your organisation’s challenges with intuitive technology.

Have some feedback you'd like to share? Let us know !