Developers Can Improve ESG Aspects of Software by Tackling Ethical Debt

Improving ESG Aspects of Software

Erica Pisani, host of the Performance and Sustainability track at QCon London 2025, reflects on lessons from assembling the track and attending talks, touching on the importance of environmental and social aspects of software. She highlights how developers can improve these aspects through small steps in software development architecture and practices. The accelerated spread of AI across sectors puts significant pressure on computing and electrical infrastructure, widening the gap between developing and developed countries.

Why This Matters

The incorporation of local-first software development principles can improve user experience and reduce energy impact by minimizing round-trips via infrastructure. However, the ideal model of perfectly sustainable software often clashes with technical realities, such as the need for high performance and the limitations of current technology. For instance, the Green Software Foundation’s 2023 report found that the total consumption of the software industry was equal to the transportation industry, highlighting the need for more sustainable practices. The cost of choosing speed and growth over socio-environmental responsibility, known as ethical debt, can have long-term consequences, including significant environmental impacts and social injustices.

Key Insights

• The Green Software Foundation offers a free course through the Linux Foundation, providing resources for developers to create more sustainable software.
• Local-first software development principles can improve user experience and reduce energy impact.
• Smaller, targeted AI models can be more effective and environmentally friendly than larger models.
• The concept of ethical debt highlights the importance of considering the long-term consequences of software development decisions.

Working Example

// Example of a JavaScript library to calculate carbon usage
function calculateCarbonUsage(computingPower, usageTime) {
  // Calculate carbon usage based on computing power and usage time
  const carbonUsage = computingPower * usageTime;
  return carbonUsage;
}

Practical Applications

• Use Case: Companies like Float Financial are adopting sustainable software development practices, such as using local-first software development principles and reducing energy consumption.
• Pitfall: Ignoring the environmental and social impacts of software development can lead to significant ethical debt and long-term consequences.

References:

• https://www.infoq.com/podcasts/developers-improve-software-aspects/
• https://www.greensoftware.foundation/
• https://www.localfirst.software/