BASDA Green Charter gains momentum in the UK and Europe as more members sign up and AFDEL adopt the Charter in France

Since the launch of the BASDA Green Charter at Softworld on 14th October, more than 30 members have signed up - the latest including Microsoft, Oracle, Infor, Agresso and Coda, who join launch signatories such as Sage, Access Accounting and COA Solutions.

AFDEL, the software association in France, has also announced their adoption of the BASDA Green Charter at their AGM with encouraging comments from Eric Besson, the Minister for Development of the Digital Economy in France. They are in the process of signing up French business software companies.

On 3 December Jairo Rojas, Director General of BASDA, presented the Green Charter to Linda Mauperon, member of the cabinet of Viviane Reding, European commissioner for information society and media.

“Linda Mauperon gave very positive feedback on our achievements with the BASDA Green Charter,” says Jairo. “She recognised the importance of energy usage measurement and thus the role that software could play in helping the EC to achieve its carbon emission reduction targets.”

The ability for business software users to be able to demonstrate their Green credentials to customers is becoming a more prominent factor in the software selection process. By becoming actively involved with the BASDA Green Charter, software suppliers can demonstrate their commitment to taking on their own responsibilities in helping to achieve the EC targets for carbon emission reduction in 2020 – only 4000 days away. This includes providing business in all industries with the software tools to measure, monitor and optimize carbon emissions.

Jairo Rojas, Director General at BASDA, adds: “The BASDA Green Charter now has the attention of policy makers within the EC and government ministers outside the UK. I want to make sure that the UK government is also fully aware of the initiative and how BASDA is pro-actively working with the Software and IT industry in providing the tools and technology to aid the challenging task ahead of us to enable a Carbon Efficient Economy.”

The BASDA Green Charter sets out four steps signatories will take to help lead the UK towards achieving a 20% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2020:

• Take pro-active steps to increase their own carbon efficiency.
• Enhance their software solutions to help customers become part of a carbon efficient economy.
• Engage in the debate around green technology, including measurement, reporting, data requirements and standards.
• Work as an industry through BASDA to educate and increase awareness of green issues as they relate to ICT and business software.
  

Companies supporting the BASDA Green Charter cover a wide spectrum of business solutions and now include @UK plc, Access Accounting, accountsIQ, Acorah Software Products, Agresso, Business-Work-Ware (Docusoft), Causeway Technologies, COA Solutions, CODA, Document Engineering Services, Forbes Computer Systems, GCrypt Ltd, Infor, Inovis, Invu, Keytime, Maginus, Mamut, Moore Krickl International, Oracle, Pegasus, Proteus, PS Financials, Pyramid HR Ltd, Qtac, Sage, Sapphire, TeamSpirit Software, Wise Software (OrderWise) and Version One.

BASDA members recognise how the Green Charter initiative can help to drive the issue forward:

Mark Thompson, Managing Director of COA Solutions says, “We are fully supportive of BASDA’s Green Charter. With the Government targeting a 60 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050, it’s vital for software organisations to assist businesses in their drive to reduce emissions. Without having the right underlying software systems in place to enable low carbon working practices, businesses cannot effectively and sustainably address climate change and the 2050 target will become unattainable.”

“We fully support the BASDA Green Charter and believe Corporate Responsibility is important for the future of business and behaving ethically is a core component in the creation of sustainable shareholder value,” said John Crooks, Managing Director, Agresso UK. “We plan to roll our CR programme out across the business to ensure and clearly demonstrate that Unit 4 Agresso is a strong, sustainable business. We are determined to take a long-term view of the business and therefore how we impact everyone around us.”

Jon Armstrong Head of Business Development at GCrypt, who provide secure document delivery by email, says: “We are committed to increasing awareness of green issues, and through our products and relationship with BASDA seek to promote responsible and ethical business practice”.

Ends.

About BASDA
BASDA was founded in 1993 and today acts as the voice of the UK-based business software industry. BASDA represents IT organisations of all sizes from the world's largest business software suppliers through to UK headquartered medium and small sized businesses.

For the last 15 years, BASDA has been working with governments, standards and policy-making groups in the UK, Europe and worldwide to provide a forum for collaboration to resolve issues that affect the business software industry and our customers.

BASDA provides independent news, opinion and commentary from its position as a non-profit making organisation that represents the collective voice of the UK-based business software industry on behalf of it members. BASDA also produces whitepapers and reports on current legislation and changes that affect the software industry.

BASDA is a member-driven organisation with established special interest groups (SIGs) covering Financials, HR & Payroll, Taxation & Final Accounts, eBusiness, Construction, Logistics and Green issues.

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For more information, contact:
Jairo Rojas
Director General
BASDA
Tel: +44 (0)1494 868030
Email: jairo.rojas@basda.org

Jenny Bracken
Marketing
BASDA
Telephone Number: +44 (0) 7808 182258
Email Address: jenny.bracken@basda.org