At the other end of the spectrum, large international channel operators such as CSC and EDS have wholeheartedly embraced green business practices, and believe the business drivers are clear.

As CFO for CSC Australia, and leader of the company's internal green initiatives, Wayne Banks was initially a climate change sceptic, if for no other reason than he doubted the economic sustainability of environmental business practices.

"Within CSC the push to go green was entirely staff led; it actually came through our regional leadership councils about three years ago," Banks said. "I could see the level of good will it was generating among staff, so I took it on as an executive sponsor, and attempted to put a bit of financial rigor on the plans they were suggesting."

To Banks' surprise, his calls for financial analysis were quickly met with a series of business cases explaining the relationship between reduced carbon emissions and more efficient business practices.

The first initiatives, based around a character called Powersave Pete, saw different regions compete to reduce their power usage and paid for itself in the first quarter. Banks quickly went from sceptic to evangelist.

"First we tackled the low-hanging fruit in terms of power and water usage, and now we're looking at a green building program, which deals with the issue at a more structural level," he said. "Once it became part of our brand, and part of our identity internally, we thought we'd better get serious and set a target to reduce our carbon footprint by 25 per cent in 2010."

Achieving this goal, according to Banks, will require formal certification and change in a number of areas. In the mid-term he's looking for engineering smarts to change the way electricity is used in offices and datacentres, and cultural change, especially in the areas of transport and communications.

"Really the aim is to look at the way we operate holistically because you can't just spend your way out of this. There has to be cultural change around the way you use resources, but because it all started with the staff I'm confident they will carry on with the program," Banks said. "Ultimately, all the techniques we are adopting to reduce emissions today will become business as usual for all businesses, so we may as well make the change voluntarily."

Making the transition

Other channel players, such as Brisbane-based Data#3, are feeling the pressure to adopt more sustainable business practices from customers and partners, as well as their staff.

However, according to managing director John Grant, companies must have a clear motivation for adopting widespread change or it will become little more than a marketing exercise.

"Creating environmentally sustainable business practices is an issue for everyone, in every industry, in every country across the world," Grant said. "We have to resolve the problems we've created in the environment; we have a moral imperative to do so."