'SME's should take responsibility for shift to greener technologies' says Fujitsu Siemens

All companies, including SMEs, where profit margins can be smaller, will be increasingly affected as tighter environmental directives are enforced. Enterprises that fail to address these concerns early may face the risk of being hit hard financially down the line as their IT equipment will become out-dated, according to Rejasse.

"Many small and medium business owners probably don't even know how environmentally responsible their IT products are. As a host of new environmental regulations go into effect globally, SMEs will be affected in terms of how they dispose of old equipment, where they must do so, as well as the costs involved," said Rejasse.

The IT giant's Middle East General Manager also highlighted how 'green' technology actually reduces overall operating costs as spiralling fuel prices continue to hit companies.

"Green technology is generally much more energy efficient. As the cost of fuel and energy continues to trend upward, efficient technology stands to create a more significant cost savings than has been the case traditionally," he said.

Later this year, the European Union will introduce the Restriction on the Use Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive to tackle the environmental impact of the IT industry. This directive will severely reduce the maximum acceptable levels of the six substances used in the composition of electronics products - lead, cadmium, and mercury - all of which have harmful effects on the environment when concentrated.

And last year the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive went into effect stating that IT manufacturers had to recycle a minimum of 75% of their own systems - a figure Fujitsu Siemens Computers currently outstrips with a 98% recycle rate.

"The reduction of E-waste should be a serious priority for IT manufacturers and customers, as it currently makes up to five per cent of all municipal solid waste worldwide, and is expected to generate between 20-50 million tonnes of waste a year," said Rejasse.

Fujitsu-Siemens Computers has been leading the field in helping SMEs convert to a greener IT environment. With an environmentally conscious production philosophy nearly two decades old, and a dedication to informing SMEs about all green IT developments, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers is the industry's leading choice for environmentally responsible technology.

"We strictly adhere to the requirements of the Blue Angel, Nordic Swan, and TCO'03 eco-labels, during Green PC development and recycling. The company has reduced the lead content in the Green mainboards of current models from 12g to less than 1g, already having reduced lead usage over the past two years by 4.5 tonnes with the SCENIC E Green PC and the world's first completely 'Green' PC portfolio, ESPRIMO," explained Rejasse.

The new Green PCs feature the latest ergonomic upgrades to increase ease of use and comfort. These include advanced power-saving features that can save bottom-line operating expenses. The patented thermal management system prevents unnecessary noise, and along with 'silent' hard drives help to provide an optimal working environment. The ESPRIMO E Series' uses energy saving features based on ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) and IA-PC (Instantly Available PC,) both of which considerably reduce power consumption in standby mode.

To make the transition from older IT systems to the new Green systems, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers is committed to delivering the best solution to fit the unique needs of each SME. This approach ensures the simplest possible purchasing process, with comprehensive guidance from local IT providers proven in specific industries.

"Our main expertise is in understanding hardware and making it fit seamlessly into existing IT systems. We provide products that are easy to install, configure, manage and integrate. With cutting-edge products and decades of experience, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers is determined to help any SME build the most effective and efficient Green infrastructure, while at the same time decreasing total cost of ownership and minimizing staffing requirements," added Rejasse.