Infosys, one of India’s largest IT services firms, has begun requesting that employees who work remotely share their household electricity consumption data. This move is part of the company’s ongoing sustainability efforts and aims to capture a clearer picture of the environmental impact of its hybrid work model, where most staff split time between home and office.
Background: Hybrid Work and Sustainability
Under Infosys’s current policy, employees are expected to work in the office for at least 10 days a month, with the remainder at home, reflecting a hybrid work arrangement that has become standard in the IT sector. As remote work increases, the company is looking beyond traditional office emissions and accounting for energy usage at employees’ residences.
What Infosys Is Collecting
In internal communications, Infosys CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka informed staff about a work-from-home electricity consumption survey. Employees are being asked to provide information on their electricity usage — including details on appliances used, lighting, air conditioning, and whether they have solar power — through a brief survey. The company has also sought suggestions for energy-saving practices employees might use at home.
Purpose: Accurate Carbon Footprint Measurement
According to Infosys, the primary aim is to improve the precision of its emissions reporting, especially for greenhouse gases associated with decentralized work environments. Remote work shifts part of the energy load from corporate campuses to individual homes, which is not always included in standard corporate carbon accounting. By gathering real data rather than relying on assumptions, Infosys hopes to understand and offset this indirect impact more effectively.
The company has previously estimated and reported emissions linked to work-from-home arrangements, but this survey serves to revalidate and refine those figures as work patterns evolve.
Encouraging Energy Efficiency
Beyond data collection, Infosys is also encouraging employees to adopt energy-efficient measures at home. Tips and awareness efforts form part of the broader drive to reduce overall consumption and support the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals.
Sustainability in Context
Infosys has maintained a long-standing commitment to sustainability, achieving carbon neutrality ahead of many global timelines and reducing per-capita energy use significantly over the past decade while sourcing a large portion of its electricity from renewables. Extending this focus to include remote work emissions reflects evolving corporate accountability in an era where hybrid work is widely accepted.
Employee and Privacy Considerations
While the company indicates the data will be used to assess aggregate energy impact rather than monitor individual behaviour, such initiatives often raise questions about data privacy and consent, especially when personal utility information is involved. Transparent data handling practices and anonymization will be key to ensuring trust among staff.
