Cloud Engineer

Is tech falling behind on sustainability? This week we look at how IT leaders view the industry's approach to sustainability. As the global pressure to meaningfully address systemic issues causing climate change mounts, the tech industry presents a complex duality. While technological innovation is seen by many as our best hope at both mitigating the impact of manmade climate change and fighting to reverse it, the industry itself acts as a major strain on global resources. As the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, takes place in Brazil and as new sustainability reporting standards come into force, software group Flexera has posed the question of what IT leaders feel about tech's involvement in sustainability. Intent vs execution. In its survey of UK IT leaders, Flexera found there was overwhelming agreement about the importance of sustainability, with 93% saying sustainability is a "growing business priority". While there is seemingly near universal agreement that sustainability is a priority, the survey also revealed that, for the most part, IT leaders do not feel their organisations are doing enough. As many as 83% said that their organisations need to "do more for IT sustainability" despite their agreement that it is a priority. "The gap often stems from execution challenges rather than intent," said Marlon Oliver, senior vice president for the EMEA region at Flexera. "While sustainability is widely acknowledged as critical, we're seeing that organisations struggle with translating ambition into measurable action." There are a number of contributing factors to this, with Oliver citing legacy systems, cost pressures and a lack of standardised reporting" among them. Sustainability and AI. Among the more recent contributing factors is the introduction of recent high-powered technologies that are having huge ripple effects on corporate strategies. Not only has AI overtaken sustainability as a key priority among many firms according to Flexera's research, but the technology itself is known for its intense environmental impact regarding energy, compute, water and land costs. This is true to varying degrees of all cloud software, which has come to dominate much of the industry. Rising cloud costs are also a challenge for businesses supporting sustainability, according to Flexera, with 68% saying it is stretching their budget, while almost half (48%) report being "overwhelmed" by usage and cost data that is "too fragmented to guide clear decisions". So AI and cloud technologies present a challenge on several fronts, the environmental costs of the technology itself, the financial and time strain on businesses that need to keep pace with innovation and the complexity of reporting an individual company's climate impact based on its use of certain technologies. Oliver claimed that while this is a serious issue, it does not mean the only option is deprioritising these technologies. "Rather than deprioritising these technologies, the focus should be on leveraging them intelligently and using AI for predictive analytics to reduce waste and adopt cloud providers committed to renewable energy. "Sustainability and innovation are not mutually exclusive; with the right strategy, they can reinforce each other." What can be done? Given the complexities outlined, Oliver claimed that to make progress "IT leaders need clear regulatory frameworks and internal governance that prioritise sustainability as a core business objective". He said: "Policies should incentivise sustainable practices - such as energy-efficient infrastructure and responsible procurement - while organisations must embed sustainability KPIs into performance metrics."

Flexibility with purpose: why hybrid works for Flexera Software. As a global company, if there's one thing Flexera Software has learned over the past few years, it's this: culture isn't confined to four walls. It's built in the everyday moments; how Flexera Software set goals, how Flexera Software listen, and how Flexera Software show up for each other, whether Flexera Software is down the hall or a time zone away. Its hybrid work philosophy is simple: optimize for outcomes and belonging, then give people the flexibility to do their best work. That's why Flexera Software is thrilled to announce that Flexera Software recently were awarded the 2025 Chicago Top Workplaces award by Chicago Tribune and recognized for its approach to work. This award highlights Flexera's dedication to building an outstanding workplace culture that values finding top talent and giving them a place to thrive. At Flexera, Flexera Software "Keep Score." Not to micromanage, but to measure what matters. Coming out of the pandemic, Flexera Software studied productivity and found that people working from home were just as effective, if not more. That data validated what many of Flexera Software were feeling: flexibility fuels focus. Its approach. Flexera Software operate with two primary employee profiles. Of its nearly 2,000 employees worldwide, currently the majority are considered "Cloudie" (fully remote) and less than half are office-tied (hybrid). For people based near an office, Flexera Software encourage them to come in for Together Tuesdays; one day a week designed for collaboration and connection. The rest of the week, employees are encouraged to work wherever they do their best work and managers are empowered to make the right calls for their teams based on goals, roles and individual circumstances. This rhythm reflects how Flexera Software work as a global company. Even on office days, your closest collaborator might be on a different continent. So, Flexera Software invest in habits that scale across distance: weekly O3s (one-on-ones) are a way of life here, rotating meeting times across time zones, asynchronous channels so people can contribute when they're at their best, and design choices that keep remote colleagues fully included. A small but meaningful example: in its All Hands sessions, its CEO doesn't sit at a big table in a large room at HQ. He joins the same way everyone else does, at his desk - so the experience feels equivalent, wherever you are. Designing offices for "purpose, not presence" Flexera Software has offices around the world and part of its hybrid work strategy is honestly assessing space needs to ensure Flexera Software is effectively using space and not requiring employees to come into an office to solve a real estate problem. Over the last several years, Flexera Software has downsized and closed smaller sites where Flexera Software didn't feel office space was particularly useful. Flexera Software has also redesigned its spaces around the moments that benefit most from being together: team working sessions, social connection and larger events. Think collaboration zones, hot desks for flexibility and large meeting spaces so teams can come together and work comfortably. When people come in, it's to do something they can't do as well on video. Rituals that build connection. Connection isn't an accident, it's a practice. And Flexera Software has learned it has little to do with whether you're in an office or working remotely. Here's how Flexera Software make culture real, wherever you are: Events and celebrations: Quarterly Days of Connection bring employees together virtually and locally, while monthly Cloudie gatherings celebrate milestones for its fully remote teammates. Engagement and belonging: Throughout the year, Flexera Software offer hybrid programming, sponsored by Flexera and its Employee Resource Groups, to foster inclusion and community. Recognition: Its digital recognition platform makes it easy for colleagues and managers to spotlight everyday contributions across locations. Listening and feedback: From regular engagement "pulse" surveys, skip levels, listening sessions, All Hands Q&A and "Candor Corner" where employees can ask anonymous questions, Flexera Software gather insights in real time so leaders can act quickly. For managers, Flexera Software double down on what matters in distributed environments: managing by outcomes, balancing flexibility with accountability, practicing meeting hygiene and giving and receiving feedback. These behaviors are reinforced through manager standups, clear leader expectations and ongoing training on leading distributed teams and cultures. Proof it's working. Flexera Software care a lot about engagement because it's a leading indicator of performance and retention. Its scores have been consistently strong, and Flexera Software is seeing voluntary attrition at or below benchmarks. Meanwhile, its business has continued to grow. Flexera Software has completed two acquisitions in the last two years and earned industry recognition, including Gartner accolades and year over year "Great Place to Work" awards in all countries we survey. The Chicago Tribune's 2025 Top Workplace award is yet another proof point of that hard work. As one of our values is "Keep Score," this hybrid model doesn't work if it's not delivering results for its customers, and for its employees too. A lot of companies are going in the other direction, asking for more days in the office. Flexera Software is not. Flexera Software believe one intentional day beats three obligatory ones when the rest of the system is built for clarity, trust and delivery. This approach is right for Flexera Software because it's grounded in data, designed for a global team and aligned with how its customers need Flexera Software to show up. And its hybrid model - rooted in its "How we Roll" values - isn't a compromise. It's a choice to design work around people and performance. That's how Flexera Software build a workplace where everyone can do the best work of their careers, together.

Introducing the Jamf Adapter for Flexera One. Ask any IT professional about Apple in ITAM and you'll hear the same thing. Managing Macs with the same precision Flexera Software has with Windows is hard. So what's the solution? Flexera's Jamf Adapter. But what is Jamf? Jamf is a leading solution for managing Apple devices, offering robust security and automation capabilities tailored for macOS environments. By leveraging the Jamf Adapter, organizations can integrate Jamf's detailed device insights such as hardware specifications, installer evidence, and OS evidence directly into Flexera's ITAM platform. Jamf solves Apple endpoint management and security; Flexera One solves asset intelligence at scale. Shon Harris Head of Developer Relations at Flexera What the Jamf Adapter for Flexera One does. Its new Jamf adapter for Flexera One is built to deliver detailed Apple device data, covering hardware, software, and security posture directly from your Jamf environment into Flexera One. It supports Jamf Cloud and Jamf Pro (on-premises) and converts that data into trusted, normalized inventory you can act on. Streamline inventory. Strengthen audits. Optimize Apple spending. Connecting Jamf's view of your Apple fleet data to Flexera's decision engine guarantees teams work with accurate, defensible information. Eliminating the hassle of exports and the uncertainty of data accuracy. Benefits you will see: * Clear Apple visibility: Consolidate Jamf's inventory in Flexera One for a single, trusted view of your macOS and iOS resources. * Audit-ready compliance: Jamf's data aligned with Flexera content libraries ensures license consumption is accurate and defendable. * Cost and risk control: Identify underused assets, reclaim licenses, and right-size contracts while maintaining compliance. * API-driven automation: Scheduled Jamf Pro syncs replace exports and scripts, reducing manual effort, minimizing errors, and providing more current data. In short, the Jamf adapter provides trusted, standardized Apple device inventory data, making your ITAM for Apple devices as reliable as the rest of your IT estate. The Jamf adapter for Flexera One is available now - here's how to get started. 1. Check your prerequisites. * Upgrade to FlexNet Beacon version 24.3 or later. * Ensure IT Asset Management is on version 2025 R1.3 or newer. * Configure the Jamf Adapter using the steps in Creating the Jamf Connection. 2. Enable Jamf API access. * Set up an API Role and Client in Jamf with the Read Computers privilege (this is essential for pulling accurate device data). 3. Put your data to work. * Explore hardware details on the All Inventory page. * Dive into installer evidence and OS evidence under the Evidence tab. * Link recognized applications to licenses for precise compliance calculations. 4. Stay ahead of the pack. * Review What Jamf data is retrieved for a full list of imported attributes. * Use Flexera's online help for Beacon upgrades and system requirements. You have managed Apple devices. Now optimize them. Mac endpoints are different. Without Jamf, visibility is patchy and manual. Even with Jamf, exporting CSVs into ITAM leads to duplicates, inaccurate counts, and surprises at audit time. The Jamf Adapter brings the rich endpoint truth into Flexera One. Normalized, deduplicated, and mapped to content libraries. Ensuring that your Apple inventory is easy to manage and that spending is right-sized without spreadsheet gymnastics. By connecting Jamf's rich Apple device data with Flexera One's platform, you're not just managing assets you're optimizing your IT ecosystem. New to Flexera? Get a personalized demo and see how Jamf's data becomes clean actionable inventory in Flexera One today!