ITIL(R) 4 Specialist: Sustainability in Digital & IT

Overview

This course bridges ITIL best practice with sustainability principles. Over two and a half days, participants examine how digital and IT services impact the environment, explore strategies to reduce carbon footprint, and embed sustainability into service design, operations, procurement, and supply chains. The course emphasises a “think globally, act locally” mentality and addresses challenges such as VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) in sustainability.

Prerequisites

An ITIL® 4 or ITIL® v3 Foundation certificate is recommended but not formally required. The course includes relevant ITIL 4 foundational concepts for accessibility.

Target audience

This course is designed for:

• IT, digital and service professionals interested in environmental impact
• Leaders and practitioners seeking to embed sustainable practices in service strategy and operations
• Individuals working across supply chains who wish to influence sustainability outcomes

Objectives

Learners will develop the ability to:

• Understand the key concepts of service management
• Understand how to use the ITIL guiding principles to deliver value by creating sustainable digitally enabled products and services
• Effectively address volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity challenges through sustainable strategies, procurement, products and practices
• Obtain a practical grounding in key principles of sustainability
• Conduct a full cost benefit analysis identifying potential risks and opportunities using best practice guidance

Outline

Introduction to sustainability in IT

• Sustainability context (global, organisational, ecosystems)
• The role of IT and digital services in environmental impact

Sustainability principles and frameworks

• Key sustainability concepts and frameworks
• Relationships between IT operations and sustainability goals

Strategy, procurement, and supply chain

• Green procurement practices and standards
• Aligning supplier and partner ecosystems with sustainability goals

Service design, operations, and practices

• Embedding sustainability in service design, transition, and operations
• Managing resource efficiency, reuse, and circular economy approaches

Risk, opportunity, and cost benefit analysis

• Assessing risks associated with sustainability decisions
• Identifying opportunities and trade offs
• Frameworks for evaluation and decision support

Governance, measurement and continual improvement

• Metrics and KPIs for sustainability in IT
• Feedback loops, reporting, and improvement cycles
• Governance models to oversee sustainability in IT services

Exams and assessments

• 35 multiple choice questions
• 60 minutes duration
• Closed book
• Pass mark: 70% (25 out of 35)
• Includes four in-course practical assignments
• Exam delivered online via PeopleCert Online Proctoring

From 2023, all PeopleCert Global Best Practice certifications must be renewed every three years.

Hands-on learning

Learners will participate in:

• Practical assignments aligned with course themes to embed sustainability thinking
• Case studies evaluating real world digital services and their environmental trade offs
• Exercises to apply cost benefit frameworks and calculate risk/impact
• Group work to define sustainability metrics and governance approaches
• Peer discussion and reflection on how to transform current service models toward sustainable operations