IT has been a part of Marriott's Corporate Executive Green Council from the beginning, helping to form the strategy for our Spirit to Preserve initiative and thinking about how IT can support that vision. Much of that support comes through more traditional initiatives, such as moving to virtualized desktop environments, using only Energy Star-rated hardware, and training security personnel to measure and adjust data center temperatures rather than using an automated system. As in that last case, sometimes the decision to not automate a process will bring better results in both sustainability and cost savings than turning to the most cutting-edge technology available.

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But we are also always looking for how IT can help Marriott's global sustainability goals with initiatives that are not considered "green IT." One project that has had a huge practical impact was our move to make some fairly simple additions to our corporate website. Spirit to Preserve is highlighted on our front page, and behind that is a sub-site providing information about Marriott's partnership with the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation and a system for online donations. We also have a special site for arranging EcoEvents, giving planners all the information and resources they need to set up green meetings and events at our properties. These are not exactly IT projects, and they do not have the usual performance metrics or financial goals, but IT can significantly enhance them to the benefit of the company and the environment. When IT is truly part of a company's sustainability strategy, the CIO's vision will span beyond the IT function.

Michael Whitmer, Global CIO, Hudson Highland Group

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