United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC)

As the leading provider of digital tools and cybersecurity services in the United Nations, UNICC focuses it sustainability efforts by leveraging sustainable information technology to replace less efficient activities. Some activities include: 

• Designing and constructing a platform to deliver cashless payments for the United Nations Booking Hub 

• Assist UN partners to digitally transform the way they do business and deliver their mandates with an emphasis on leveraging technology to streamline business systems, directly impacting SDG 9 and 17 

• Reducing the use of paper, by offering a document signature system for the UN family, directly impacting SDG 12: responsible consumption and production; and SDG 13: climate change) 

• In Partnership with WHO to develop the mYoga app and working towards the achievement of SDG 3: good health and wellbeing, to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030 

Internally, UNICC has run several campaigns for both sustainable office space and a sustainable home office. Examples include: 

• Sharing sustainable home office principles to all personnel, to ensure that we remain sustainable even if working remotely 

• Banning plastics from the office space 

• Sorting all garbage so it can be efficiently recycled 

• Instituting the use of reusable water bottles to avoid use of plastic 

• Providing volunteer opportunities for environmental activities. These activities include cleaning of public spaces in Brindisi, Italy and “clean the stream” efforts on Long Island, NY. 

UNICC has also begun a project to implement its own EMS and become ISO 14001 certified. This includes: 

• Conducting an initial assessment to determine the requirements for enacting an environmental management system based on the ISO 14001 requirement. 

• Provided ISO 14001 Lead Implementer training to UNICC and other UN organizations. 

• Obtained approval for the implementation by submitting a business case and creating a project proposal which senior management has approved. 

EMISSION REDUCTION 

In 2022 UNICC has reduced the amount of carbon credit to purchase by 20% compared to 2021. UNICC is eager to continue improving its sustainability posture by identifying ways to leverage information technology to increase sustainability. 

EMS AND REDUCTION EFFORTS

Each year, as part of the Greening the Blue Report on Environmental Governance, each participating UN entity’s progress on the development of an Environmental Management System (EMS) is evaluated according to the UN system’s EMS criteria (these criteria are available on the Methodology webpage). Upon this evaluation the entity is then rated Exceeds, Meets, Approaches, or No response. For the 2022 reporting year, UNICC ’s progress on the EMS is rated as: Does not meet.

ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS AND STANDARDS IN POLICIES, PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES

For the 2022 reporting year, UNICC ’s status of implementing environmental and social safeguards and standards in their policies, projects and programmes is: No, but in progress.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING FOR PERSONNEL

Several UNICC personnel have completed the ISO 14001 internal audit training provided by the SUN initiative. 

UNICC has hosted ISO 14001 Lead Implementer training for its staff and for other UN organizations. Additional training is planned and will be offered to other organizations. 

For the 2022 reporting year, UNICC's status on providing training on environmental sustainability is: No.

ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY APPROACH

• Office space 

• Data centre facilities 

OFFSETTING

UNICC has purchased the following offsets to make the organization carbon neutral: 

• 2020: 800 CERS (Equivalent to tonne(s) of CO2) 

• 2021: 600 CERS (Equivalent to tonne(s) of CO2) 

• 2022: 400 CERS (Equivalent to tonne(s) of CO2) 

WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Not yet, but it is expected as we implement the EMS. 

WATER AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Not yet, but it is expected as we implement the EMS. 

NEXT STEPS