Page 308 -

279
C C h a p t e r 1 4 : h a p t e r 1 4 : S S t a y i n g G r e e n t a y i n g G r e e n 279

In order to keep steaming forward, it is important that you make not only internal efforts,
but also external ones.
Structure
The CGO, most times, reports directly to the CEO. This makes sense (the CEO is the boss
after all), but it is also good for the CGO to have the CEO’s ear, because the CEO has
influence in the entire organization. It’s important to stress that going green is an
organizational change—not a departmental or single business unit change. That is, if
the shipping department, for example, can save money by restructuring its shipments,
the CGO can recommend changes to the CEO, who can then trickle them down to the
shipping department, as shown next.

Chief Executive Officer Chief Green Officer

Marketing Shipping Production
IT department
department department department

The CGO isn’t just reading from the company’s greening plan. They also need to have
their nose stuck into the daily activities of the organization’s various departments. The CGO
will also be responsible for environmental stewardship, corporate communications, strategic
partnerships, and product development.
With all this responsibility, the door seems wide open for a huge and bloated green staff.
However, that doesn’t have to be the case. Rather, the CGO needs to have strong relationships
with the department heads, and a program management office should be established. The
management team can then guide programs that are developed.
Once the strategy is set and metrics are established, it’s up to the CGO to make sure
they’re being met. The CGO and their staff can find which goals aren’t being met and what
can be done to help reach them.

Evolution PART V
Perhaps you’ve already achieved your organization’s green goals. That’s fantastic, but you’re
not done yet. At least you shouldn’t be. Greening your datacenter and IT department
shouldn’t be a destination, it’s a journey.
Be sure to continually evaluate your organization, equipment, and processes to make
sure you’re being as green as you can be. The rewards remain the same—you lessen your
environmental impact and you save money.