26. July 2025
Energy-efficient hardware, intelligent device management, server virtualization… In many companies today, IT is approached with sustainability in mind. With the right measures, energy can be saved – and therefore CO₂ as well. The contribution of Microsoft licenses to CO₂ emissions has so far received little attention. Yet there is also potential for savings in this area: through reuse instead of new purchases, and through the combination of used software and cloud solutions.
The impact of reused software
But how can companies reliably, legally, and in the required quantities obtain “second-hand” software? Through resellers and distributors. MRM, for example, purchases Microsoft volume licenses that are no longer used by companies and returns them to the market. Organizations that use these licenses can save up to 70 percent compared to buying new ones. From the perspective of equal opportunity alone, this is already a sustainable approach.
When I took over the management of MRM last year, I also wanted to know how much greenhouse gas reduction our products actually achieve. My team therefore had the impact of all the licenses we have traded calculated scientifically. The result: 318 tons of CO₂e* saved since MRM was founded in 2017.
*Calculated by ClimatePartner based on usage data, license types, download volumes, and processor load.
This analysis also produced a chart showing where software causes emissions: during development, distribution, and operation. When software is reused instead of newly produced, parts of this footprint are eliminated.
The CO₂ footprint of Microsoft licenses across their entire lifecycle
Moving to the cloud – but sustainably
This lever for more sustainable IT can (and should) be used by every organization, from small tax offices to large corporations. The implementation can vary: for some, purely on-premises structures remain the right model. Increasingly, however, used volume licenses for Office and servers are being deployed alongside M365 products. IT decision-makers are no longer thinking in terms of an either-or choice between cloud and on-premises. Instead, hybrid setups are gaining momentum.
Reasons for hybrid Microsoft licensing:
- Cost pressure
- Economic uncertainty
- ESG reporting requirements
- Specific system requirements
- Data protection concerns
Software from the secondary market opens up new opportunities – both financially and technically. For example, when existing infrastructures are expanded with cloud components without having to replace entire systems. At the same time, many modern services are only available in the cloud – especially in the field of artificial intelligence. In such cases, reused software helps make cloud adoption affordable and flexible. This too proves to be sustainable: saving on licensing costs where possible in order to finance forward-looking digital projects.
Between carbon footprint and cost efficiency
Whether these ecological savings can scale broadly depends on several factors: the CO₂ footprint of new software, the intensity of usage, and the extent to which used programs extend the lifecycle of hardware. Second-hand licenses do not replace the previously mentioned IT measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, in times of tight budgets and growing sustainability requirements, they can be a meaningful component – especially where economic and environmental arguments align.
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