The Forrester Wave™: IT Sustainability Service Providers, Q3 2023

IT Sustainability Service Providers Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

Key features and pros and cons of top IT Sustainability Service Providers products:

Accenture - Leaders

Pros:

Comprehensive IT sustainability services strategy with strong commitment to sustainability in the technology industry
Cofounded the Green Software Foundation to establish standards and reduce carbon emissions
Unique focus on green UI/UX projects with advanced methodological and functional competencies
Modular market solutions including IT carbon accounting
myNav Sustainable IT Advisor (SITA) provides asset discovery, carbon modeling, and strategic roadmaps
Clear structure and clarity of offerings with specialized tools and services

Cons:

Would benefit from more partnerships in IT asset disposition and end-user device decarbonization
Data center strategy is compelling but not the most superior in this evaluation

Capgemini - Leaders

Pros:

Ability to design and engineer clean tech, securing patents and investing in research on sustainability topics
Comprehensive set of sustainability-focused accelerators including Clear Sight and footprInT
Robust innovation ecosystem collaborating with technology partners, startups, and academic institutions
Proven experience with green IT, especially on data centers
Strong partnership on transformation topics
Expert advice in European regions and understanding of emerging regulations in Europe and beyond

Cons:

Could benefit from clarified messaging around offerings in key areas like data centers and green software
Should simplify messaging to address organizations at different maturity levels

Atos - Strong Performers

Pros:

Pioneer in introducing carbon footprint reduction commitments (decarbonization level agreements) into client contracts
Commits to carbon footprint reduction of 15% to 25% for clients with third-party audit capability
MyCO Compass carbon data management platform for analyzing and visualizing IT carbon footprint
Expertise in regulations and reporting standards, especially for European region
Early market advantage in infrastructure decarbonization and carbon offsets

Cons:

Has not innovated or evolved quickly enough to maintain edge over others in evaluation
Currently preparing to split into two publicly listed companies which will reshape sustainability services portfolio
Declined to participate in the full Forrester Wave evaluation process

CGI - Strong Performers

Pros:

Sustainability Exploration Environmental Data Science (SEEDS) program for uncovering digital innovation
Comprehensive capabilities in carbon accounting and supply chain decarbonization
Outstanding offerings in decarbonizing data center infrastructure
Complete diagnosis and analysis to prioritize and build action plans
Capabilities of resources and internal team with adaptation to client requirements
Competitive pricing structure

Cons:

Needs to scale further to be a global competitor
Could further improve position by creating differentiation areas such as software sustainability
Capabilities aside from data center infrastructure are on par with other providers rather than differentiated

Cognizant - Strong Performers

Pros:

Substantial expertise and specialization in IT infrastructure combined with sustainability consulting
Established partnerships with hyperscalers, domain-specific partners, and niche sustainability firms
Sustainability Accelerator for IT carbon accounting and CO2 on-prem assessment for baseline calculations
Comprehensive water assessment framework
Well-thought-out approach to developing carbon calculation model
Strong application development portfolio combined with compelling IT sustainability assets

Cons:

Should focus on improving offerings around end-user devices
Renewable energy procurement services are not as strong as other companies in evaluation
Strategy is on par with others but not distinctive
Does not directly offer IT asset disposal services, only collaborates with partners

HCLTech - Strong Performers

Pros:

Diverse sustainability partner ecosystem to augment offerings and capabilities
Dedicated sustainability schooling and certifications for consultants
NIO (Net Zero Intelligent Operations) IoT-based tool for IT carbon accounting
Comprehensive frameworks to identify materiality impacts, set KPIs, and prioritize initiatives
Responsive with commitment to continuous improvement and growing breadth
Flexible workforce model combining onsite, onshore, nearshore, and offshore resources
Depth of expertise in IT sustainability

Cons:

Room for improvement in innovation
Room for improvement in green software engineering
Lacks capabilities for sustainable materials procurement and energy consumption measurement
Robust partner ecosystem referenced but indicates dependency on third-party tools

NTT DATA - Strong Performers

Pros:

Data center digital twin tool that visualizes environmental data center KPIs
SAFAR (Sustainability Assessment Framework, Analysis, and Roadmap) offers 360-degree view of sustainability standing
origAMI software system for water sustainability modeling, monitoring, and control
R&D centers create groundwork for rich innovation in decarbonization services
In-house-built tools follow Green Software Foundation (GSF) Methodology
Leading contributor for green software standards
Significant global presence, particularly in Europe and LATAM

Cons:

Tools and accelerators would benefit from clearer and simplified mapping of material areas within green IT
Strong tools but messaging could be simplified for better understanding

TCS - Strong Performers

Pros:

Integrated tools, automation features, and industry-specific expertise
Comprehensive sustainable IT assessment framework with scorecards, ratings, and rankings
Supports engagement with suppliers to enhance sustainability practices across supply chain
Wide range of standardized tools and KPIs within TCS Cognix portfolio
Tools feature automation and integration capabilities to streamline processes
Operates across major industry verticals (BFSI, retail, CPG, manufacturing, travel, healthcare, communications, media, entertainment)

Cons:

Wide array of IT sustainability accelerators stems from existing digital transformation tools rather than unique focus on IT sustainability
Clarity in methodologies and simplified messaging would help reach audiences with wider range of sustainability maturity
Best suited for existing clients rather than differentiated market offering

Infosys - Contenders

Pros:

Extensive background working with clients on emerging technologies, application development, and digital transformation
Focus areas include water sustainability, cloud transformation, and waste management
IoT-based performance management tools and managed services on supplier risk assessments
Broad IT customer base for sustainability across multiple verticals
Doubled down on partnerships to enable offerings such as carbon accounting, supply chain, and circular economy

Cons:

Fails to clearly define specifics of IT sustainability offerings
Offerings appear to be offshoots of traditional IT transformation services rather than areas of dedicated focus
Hasn't publicly stated specific sustainability capabilities in materiality assessments and portfolio of accelerators across IT stack
Declined to participate in the full Forrester Wave evaluation process

Schneider Electric - Contenders

Pros:

Specialist in data center infrastructure with Resource Advisor platform for environmental data capture and monitoring
Among the most sustainable companies in many corporate rankings
Robust focus on knowledge development
Interactive TradeOff Tools for exploring scenarios during data center planning
EcoStruxure IT solutions portfolio for monitoring power, cooling, physical security, and environmental impact
Cost-effective pricing models for specialized data center projects

Cons:

Specializes in data centers and lacks offerings in other key areas of IT sustainability
Limited potential as an end-to-end provider
Less comprehensive than others in evaluation
Lacking in specialties around green software
Prioritizes infrastructure and power by design, which may not meet needs of IT leaders wanting end-to-end services

Wipro - Contenders

Pros:

Growing portfolio of services and frameworks to assess and improve sustainability performance across IT stack
Partnerships with AWS, Enablon, IBM Envizi, Microsoft Sustainability, and Oracle for IT emission control solutions
Founding member of Transition to Net Zero, participating in creating frameworks for net zero achievement
Services in responsible procurement, vendor risk management, asset lifecycle management, and e-waste management
Essential IT sustainability services available as add-on to digital transformation initiatives

Cons:

Doesn't clearly define demarcation between IT transformation services and IT sustainability services
Many capabilities are standard IT services optimization tools rather than dedicated sustainability focus
Limited differentiation in the market
Still developing ability to connect metrics from tools with sustainability outcomes

FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

A: Accenture, Capgemini

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

A: Leaders in the Forrester Wave evaluation demonstrate the strongest current offering and strategy among all evaluated vendors. They excel across multiple evaluation criteria, showing superior capabilities in tools and specialization, comprehensive coverage of IT sustainability areas, strong innovation and vision, robust partner ecosystems, and significant market presence. Leaders are positioned in the upper-right quadrant of the Wave graphic, indicating both stronger current offerings (vertical axis) and stronger strategy (horizontal axis) compared to other vendors in the evaluation.

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

A: https://www.forrester.com/policies/forrester-wave-methodology/

Report:

Top Vendor Products for IT Sustainability Service Providers in 2023

IT Sustainability Service Providers Vendor Product Comparisons 2023

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

Pros:

Cons:

FAQs

Q: Which vendors are Leaders in 2023?

Q: What does "Leader" mean in Forrester Wave terms?

Q: How do I interpret a Forrester Wave?

Reference