UK firms lead northern Europe in sustainable IT use

Advania has published research suggesting UK businesses lead Northern Europe in the use of sustainable IT equipment. The findings are based on a survey of 500 UK IT decision-makers.

The study found that 38% of UK respondents said their organisations were using environmentally friendly or refurbished IT equipment to cut carbon emissions or support net-zero goals. That figure was higher than in other Northern European markets covered by the research.

The results point to a shift in how companies manage technology spending amid economic pressure, rising software costs and scrutiny of environmental targets. Alongside greater use of refurbished hardware, many respondents also reported tighter control of cloud spending and concern about cyber risk.

Sustainable IT

The UK market appears to be further ahead in applying circular economy ideas to workplace technology. The research linked that trend to a combination of ESG targets, pressure to cut costs and ongoing hardware supply issues.

Some organisations are extending device lifecycles through structured refresh and refurbishment programmes rather than buying new equipment as standard. The report also pointed to growing interest in identifying which staff would benefit most from an upgrade, instead of replacing devices more broadly across the workforce.

Licensing pressure

The survey also highlighted concern over software spending. Nearly half, or 49%, of UK IT leaders said their organisations overspend on software licences.

That is driving efforts to consolidate suppliers and make better use of existing systems rather than expand spending without closer review. The research described this as a reassessment of cloud and software investment, with organisations seeking more control over hosting and vendor relationships.

Trust in suppliers also appeared to be under pressure. Some 40% of respondents said they believed vendors prefer to sell products rather than solutions, while 36% said vendors favour transactional relationships over supportive ones.

These findings suggest cost control is not the only issue shaping procurement decisions. Businesses are also re-evaluating the balance between commercial flexibility, support and long-term value from technology providers.

Cyber concerns

At the same time, the report identified a weaker pattern in cyber maintenance. Although 44% of UK leaders said emerging threats were their top concern, patching frequency had declined.

Advania argued this creates a risk if organisations keep ageing devices in service without robust maintenance and validation. In that scenario, older hardware may struggle to support newer endpoint protection and device management tools.

The research drew a distinction between professionally refurbished equipment and devices whose life is simply extended without the same level of oversight. It said sustainability goals and security do not have to conflict, but lifecycle decisions need to account for both.

Chris O'Brien, Chief Technology Officer at Advania UK, commented on the findings.

"Our research shows that UK organisations are becoming incredibly savvy on sustainability and hardware lifecycles. Leading Europe in refurbished IT adoption is a major win for the circular economy and demonstrates that cost-efficiency and ESG goals can go hand-in-hand. It is a valid sustainability strategy that allows businesses to extend the life of their hardware effectively, and our involvement in schemes like HP's Brighter Futures trade-in programme for the education sector is a great example of the altruistic aspect of this strategy," said Chris O'Brien, Chief Technology Officer at Advania UK.

He also warned against reducing cyber defences while trying to improve efficiency.

"However, as we recalibrate cloud investments and address software licensing fatigue, we must be careful not to leave the door open to attackers. Cutting cyber spending or lapsing on patching frequency is a high-stakes gamble. The goal for 2026 should be 'secure efficiency', leveraging the savings from refurbished tech and cloud consolidation to reinforce digital defences rather than stripping them back," O'Brien said.

The wider survey covered 1,236 IT decision-makers across Northern Europe, offering a broader picture of how businesses are balancing sustainability, technology costs and operational resilience.