With the growing demand for 5G and the advent of 6G, the ICT Industry has an opportunity to achieve net-zero operations in the foreseeable future by implementing a comprehensive lifecy-cle approach. This includes the design, build, operations and maintenance and ultimately the decommissioning of mobile network resources. Core networks and other mobile Network Functions (NFs) deployed in data centers are replacing traditional dedicated hardware implementations. This paper provides multiple perspectives on how observability, the use of circular economy principals, and choice pave the way for organizations to embark on their sustainability journey, ultimately reaching net-zero operations.

Sustainability has reached different levels of maturity throughout the ICT industry. This paper not only outlines the importance, but also serves as a guide to further educate, evaluate, and implement a holistic sustainability approach. Finally, practical recommendations such as the development of an organization’s sustainability strategy and identifying and implementing relevant and future KPIs are made.