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Hands-on analysis

Instruction and application
In Progress

Sustainability in cloud platforms​

In this activity, you will examine the sustainability practices of GCP, Azure and AWS, assessing their environmental impact, energy efficiency and ethical considerations in AI supply chains.

Developing these skills enables organisations to make informed cloud decisions, ensuring AI initiatives align with carbon reduction targets, responsible resource management and ethical AI practices. Integrating sustainability into cloud computing helps optimise energy consumption, minimise emissions and support broader ESG commitments in the workplace.

Activity instructions​

Work with your group to complete the following tasks:

Research and collect data​

Use the Sustainability Practices Summary Data to gather key metrics for Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS):

  • Download a copy of the Cloud Sustainability Analysis Template, which will guide you in identifying and recording the key sustainability metrics for each provider.
  • Identify each provider’s approach to renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon commitments and AI-driven sustainability innovations.
  • Use the template to record your findings.

Optional: Download a copy of the workshop slides​

Optional: Download a copy of the workshop slides​

Evaluate strengths and weaknesses​

Analyse the environmental sustainability efforts of each provider using the Cloud Sustainability Analysis Template. Consider:

  • Strengths: Which sustainability initiatives are most effective?
  • Weaknesses: Where do these providers fall short in their sustainability commitments?

Identify ethical implications in AI supply chains​

Consider the potential ethical concerns of relying on GCP, Azure and AWS for AI workloads. Use the ‘Ethical implications table’ in the Cloud Sustainability Analysis Template to guide your analysis.

Regroup and share insight​

Return to the main session after 20 minutes to discuss key findings.

Action item: Activity share out​

  • Which provider demonstrated the strongest sustainability commitments?
  • What gaps or challenges did you identify?
  • What advice would you give to an organisation selecting a cloud provider for AI deployment based on sustainability?