Swiss software industry: A long road to sustainability: The results of the most comprehensive study on sustainability in the software industry are now available.
The latest results of the Swiss Software Industry Survey (SSIS) conducted by the University of Bern provide reliable key figures on turnover and employee development in the Swiss software industry.
Focus topic: Green IT and sustainability
The focus of this year’s study is the growing importance of sustainability in the Swiss software industry: it documents the strategic integration of sustainability, names the causes of this change and identifies the main barriers that companies perceive when implementing sustainability measures.
Sustainability is not a strategic priority
The SSIS shows that only around a third of Swiss software companies treat sustainability as a strategic priority. This is reflected in their support for sustainable projects and the embedding of sustainability aspects in their business strategy. Three quarters of software companies also develop technical solutions that can be used in the long term and are flexible and expandable: Code reuse, continuous testing and standardisation of tools are common practices.
Clear targets and measurement methods for sustainability
Nevertheless, only a few companies have defined clear targets and measurement methods for sustainability, which offers room for improvement. In contrast, Swico notes that the hardware industry, for example, invests a lot of effort in the documentation and reporting of sustainability.
Little pressure from regulations
The main driver for the introduction of sustainability measures in the Swiss software industry comes solely from customers. More and more clients are demanding sustainability certificates, without which no contracts will be awarded. Regulatory authorities, export markets and other organisations, on the other hand, have only limited or no noticeable influence on the sustainability of Swiss software companies.
There is no pressure from this side (yet).
