Flevy Management Insights Q&A
What role does ISO 20000 play in supporting organizations' sustainability and environmental management efforts, especially in light of increasing digital service demands?
     David Tang    |    ISO 20000


This article provides a detailed response to: What role does ISO 20000 play in supporting organizations' sustainability and environmental management efforts, especially in light of increasing digital service demands? For a comprehensive understanding of ISO 20000, we also include relevant case studies for further reading and links to ISO 20000 best practice resources.

TLDR ISO 20000 supports organizations in integrating Sustainability and Environmental Management into IT Service Management, promoting efficient resource use, continuous improvement, and a lifecycle approach to meet digital service demands sustainably.

Reading time: 5 minutes

Before we begin, let's review some important management concepts, as they related to this question.

What does Sustainability Framework mean?
What does Continuous Improvement mean?
What does Lifecycle Approach mean?
What does Stakeholder Engagement mean?


ISO 20000, primarily known for its IT Service Management standards, plays a pivotal role in supporting organizations' sustainability and environmental management efforts. This is especially relevant in the context of increasing digital service demands. The standard provides a framework that not only helps organizations manage their IT service delivery more efficiently but also encourages them to consider the environmental impact of their digital services.

The Role of ISO 20000 in Environmental Management

ISO 20000 encourages organizations to adopt a systematic approach to manage their IT services, which inherently includes considerations for sustainability and environmental impact. For instance, part of the framework involves the efficient use of resources, which can directly translate to reduced energy consumption and lower carbon emissions. This is particularly important as digital infrastructure becomes increasingly complex and energy-intensive. By optimizing processes and reducing waste, organizations can significantly mitigate their environmental footprint.

Moreover, ISO 20000 aligns with broader environmental management systems, such as ISO 14001, by promoting continuous improvement. This synergy enables organizations to not only improve their IT service management but also enhance their environmental performance. Through regular monitoring, measurement, and review of environmental objectives within the IT service management process, organizations can make informed decisions that contribute to their sustainability goals.

Additionally, the standard emphasizes the importance of supplier management, encouraging organizations to consider the sustainability practices of their vendors. This aspect of ISO 20000 can lead to a ripple effect, where the demand for environmentally responsible suppliers increases, thereby promoting broader adoption of sustainable practices across industries.

Are you familiar with Flevy? We are you shortcut to immediate value.
Flevy provides business best practices—the same as those produced by top-tier consulting firms and used by Fortune 100 companies. Our best practice business frameworks, financial models, and templates are of the same caliber as those produced by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, and Accenture. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with 20+ years of experience.

Trusted by over 10,000+ Client Organizations
Since 2012, we have provided best practices to over 10,000 businesses and organizations of all sizes, from startups and small businesses to the Fortune 100, in over 130 countries.
AT&T GE Cisco Intel IBM Coke Dell Toyota HP Nike Samsung Microsoft Astrazeneca JP Morgan KPMG Walgreens Walmart 3M Kaiser Oracle SAP Google E&Y Volvo Bosch Merck Fedex Shell Amgen Eli Lilly Roche AIG Abbott Amazon PwC T-Mobile Broadcom Bayer Pearson Titleist ConEd Pfizer NTT Data Schwab

Supporting Sustainability in the Digital Age

In the face of increasing digital service demands, organizations are under pressure to not only deliver innovative and efficient services but also to do so in an environmentally sustainable manner. ISO 20000 plays a crucial role in this context by providing a framework that integrates sustainability into the core of IT service management. For example, by adopting cloud computing strategies that are optimized for energy efficiency, organizations can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. This approach not only aligns with ISO 20000’s principles of efficient resource use but also contributes to an organization's overall sustainability objectives.

Furthermore, the standard's focus on continuous improvement and performance management enables organizations to adapt to the rapidly changing digital landscape in a sustainable way. By continuously evaluating and optimizing their IT services, organizations can ensure that they are not only meeting current demands but are also prepared for future challenges without compromising their environmental responsibilities.

Real-world examples of organizations leveraging ISO 20000 to support sustainability include major tech companies that have optimized their data centers for energy efficiency. While specific statistics from consulting or market research firms are not provided here, it is well-documented that data centers can consume an enormous amount of energy. By implementing ISO 20000’s framework, these organizations have been able to significantly reduce energy consumption, thereby supporting both operational efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Strategic Planning for Sustainable Digital Transformation

ISO 20000 also supports organizations in Strategic Planning for sustainable digital transformation. By embedding environmental considerations into the planning, design, transition, delivery, and improvement of IT services, organizations can ensure that their digital transformation efforts are sustainable. This involves not only the direct impact of IT services, such as energy consumption and electronic waste but also indirect impacts, such as enabling remote work to reduce the carbon footprint associated with commuting.

The framework encourages organizations to consider the entire lifecycle of their IT services, from conception to decommissioning. This lifecycle approach ensures that sustainability is considered at every stage, leading to more environmentally friendly IT services. For example, by designing services with energy efficiency in mind, organizations can reduce the environmental impact of their digital offerings.

Lastly, ISO 20000’s emphasis on stakeholder engagement and communication plays a vital role in supporting sustainability. By involving all relevant stakeholders in the discussion about sustainability goals and practices, organizations can foster a culture of environmental responsibility. This not only helps in achieving sustainability objectives but also enhances the organization's reputation and stakeholder trust.

ISO 20000, while primarily focused on IT service management, offers a robust framework that can significantly contribute to an organization's sustainability and environmental management efforts. Through efficient resource use, continuous improvement, and a lifecycle approach to IT services, organizations can meet the increasing demands for digital services in an environmentally responsible manner. By integrating ISO 20000 into their strategic planning for digital transformation, organizations can ensure that their growth is both sustainable and aligned with broader environmental objectives.

Best Practices in ISO 20000

Here are best practices relevant to ISO 20000 from the Flevy Marketplace. View all our ISO 20000 materials here.

Did you know?
The average daily rate of a McKinsey consultant is $6,625 (not including expenses). The average price of a Flevy document is $65.

Explore all of our best practices in: ISO 20000

ISO 20000 Case Studies

For a practical understanding of ISO 20000, take a look at these case studies.

ISO 20000 Implementation and IT Service Management Optimization

Scenario: A financial services company operating globally is facing challenges relating to their IT service management, specifically around the ISO 20000 standard.

Read Full Case Study

ISO 20000 Compliance for Maritime Shipping Leader

Scenario: A leading maritime shipping company is facing challenges in adhering to ISO 20000 standards amidst an expansion of its global operations.

Read Full Case Study

ISO 20000 Implementation Project for a High-Tech Company

Scenario: A global technology company is battling to maintain its service quality while adhering to the emerging regulations of ISO 20000.

Read Full Case Study

ISO 20K Compliance Enhancement for D2C Retailer

Scenario: A direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail company specializing in personalized apparel is facing challenges with its ISO 20K service management system.

Read Full Case Study

ISO 20000 Compliance Strategy for Power & Utilities Sector

Scenario: A firm in the power and utilities sector is grappling with maintaining ISO 20000 standards amidst rapid technological change and regulatory updates.

Read Full Case Study

ISO 20K Compliance Strategy for Defense Contractor in Aerospace

Scenario: A mid-sized defense contractor specializing in aerospace technology is facing challenges in aligning its IT service management with ISO/IEC 20000 (ISO 20K) standards.

Read Full Case Study




Flevy is the world's largest knowledge base of best practices.


Leverage the Experience of Experts.

Find documents of the same caliber as those used by top-tier consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, Accenture.

Download Immediately and Use.

Our PowerPoint presentations, Excel workbooks, and Word documents are completely customizable, including rebrandable.

Save Time, Effort, and Money.

Save yourself and your employees countless hours. Use that time to work on more value-added and fulfilling activities.




Read Customer Testimonials

  •  
    "[Flevy] produces some great work that has been/continues to be of immense help not only to myself, but as I seek to provide professional services to my clients, it give me a large "tool box" of resources that are critical to provide them with the quality of service and outcomes they are expecting."

    – Royston Knowles, Executive with 50+ Years of Board Level Experience
  •  
    "I am extremely grateful for the proactiveness and eagerness to help and I would gladly recommend the Flevy team if you are looking for data and toolkits to help you work through business solutions."

    – Trevor Booth, Partner, Fast Forward Consulting
  •  
    "One of the great discoveries that I have made for my business is the Flevy library of training materials.

    As a Lean Transformation Expert, I am always making presentations to clients on a variety of topics: Training, Transformation, Total Productive Maintenance, Culture, Coaching, Tools, Leadership Behavior, etc. Flevy "

    – Ed Kemmerling, Senior Lean Transformation Expert at PMG
  •  
    "The wide selection of frameworks is very useful to me as an independent consultant. In fact, it rivals what I had at my disposal at Big 4 Consulting firms in terms of efficacy and organization."

    – Julia T., Consulting Firm Owner (Former Manager at Deloitte and Capgemini)
  •  
    "I have used Flevy services for a number of years and have never, ever been disappointed. As a matter of fact, David and his team continue, time after time, to impress me with their willingness to assist and in the real sense of the word. I have concluded in fact "

    – Roberto Pelliccia, Senior Executive in International Hospitality
  •  
    "Flevy.com has proven to be an invaluable resource library to our Independent Management Consultancy, supporting and enabling us to better serve our enterprise clients.

    The value derived from our [FlevyPro] subscription in terms of the business it has helped to gain far exceeds the investment made, making a subscription a no-brainer for any growing consultancy – or in-house strategy team."

    – Dean Carlton, Chief Transformation Officer, Global Village Transformations Pty Ltd.
  •  
    "As a consulting firm, we had been creating subject matter training materials for our people and found the excellent materials on Flevy, which saved us 100's of hours of re-creating what already exists on the Flevy materials we purchased."

    – Michael Evans, Managing Director at Newport LLC
  •  
    "I have found Flevy to be an amazing resource and library of useful presentations for lean sigma, change management and so many other topics. This has reduced the time I need to spend on preparing for my performance consultation. The library is easily accessible and updates are regularly provided. A wealth of great information."

    – Cynthia Howard RN, PhD, Executive Coach at Ei Leadership



Download our FREE Strategy & Transformation Framework Templates

Download our free compilation of 50+ Strategy & Transformation slides and templates. Frameworks include McKinsey 7-S Strategy Model, Balanced Scorecard, Disruptive Innovation, BCG Experience Curve, and many more.