SSI Environmental Sustainability Policy now live | Software Sustainability Institute

In the past few years, the Software Sustainability Institute has chosen to increase its focus on environmental sustainability, it’s very much a natural fit for the SSI as so many good software practices are also the best environmental practices. It’s also an area that would benefit from strong, engaged communities, which is something that the SSI has plenty of experience in supporting!

Green DiSC

This increased focus on environmental sustainability has led the institute to reflect on our own practices, and to take steps to ensure that we are following good environmental practices. Luckily there is a certification scheme designed to help us do just that!

Setup by SSI Fellow Loïc Lannelongue, Green DiSC is a digital sustainability certification scheme, that helps guide research groups (or central sustainability teams) through a series of criteria to encourage them to reflect and adopt good practices.

The SSI is currently preparing an application for Bronze Green DiSC. This process has provided a valuable opportunity to review and reflect on our own practices. One key outcome has been the recognition that, while sustainability considerations are already embedded across many aspects of our work, these would be strengthened by being brought together within a single, clear policy to guide staff and Fellows.

SSI Sustainability Policy

We are therefore pleased to announce the publication of the SSI’s first Environmental Sustainability Policy. The policy was developed collaboratively across the Institute, ensuring that all members of the SSI team had the opportunity to contribute ideas and shape our approach.

“It’s been great hearing sustainability ideas from across the whole of the SSI. As an Institute, we’re excited to take this next step and to make our commitment to environmental sustainability more explicit.” - Kirsty Pringle, SSI Project Manager

This policy marks an important milestone in the SSI’s ongoing commitment to supporting environmentally sustainable research software practices, both within the Institute and across the wider research community. It is intentionally a first version, and we expect it to be reviewed and refined as our understanding of sustainability in this space continues to grow.

Read the SSI Environmental Sustainability Policy