With the explosion in digital content, companies are producing and storing immense volumes of files. This growth is not without consequences: every image, video or digital document consumes resources, whether energy or storage space. According to an ADEME report, digital infrastructures account for around 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this figure could double by 2025. With corporate social responsibility (CSR) becoming a key issue, it's crucial to rethink media management.
What is CSR and why is it important?
Corporate social responsibility encompasses the initiatives taken by organizations to integrate social, environmental and economic concerns into their activities. This includes efforts to reduce their ecological footprint, improve working conditions for employees or contribute to the well-being of communities. At a time when consumers and partners prefer companies that are committed to the environment, CSR has become a strategic issue and a vector of differentiation.
DAM software, a responsible response
DAM (Digital Asset Management) software offers a sustainable alternative for companies wishing to optimize file management while reducing their environmental impact. Unlike traditional solutions, DAM centralizes content, avoids duplication and limits unnecessary transfers.
Optimize media storage
Every digital file stored has an ecological cost. Although data centers are becoming increasingly eco-efficient, they still consume enormous amounts of energy. A Greenpeace study revealed that some data centers consume as much electricity as 250,000 European homes. By opting for collaborative media software such as a DAM, you reduce these requirements by limiting storage to the essentials.
Keepeek DAM automatically detects duplicate digital content as soon as it is imported, and natively uses the latest multimedia file compression formats.
Share files more efficiently
According to an ADEME study "La face cachée du numérique" (2018), relayed by Le Figaro, sending an e-mail containing an attachment is as energy-consuming as a light bulb switched on for an hour. Imagine these exchanges on the scale of your company!
DAM software also facilitates file sharing between collaborators or partners. Fewer media transfers mean a smaller digital carbon footprint. What's more, DAM solutions make it possible to control who accesses what content, thus avoiding the need for cumbersome, repetitive e-mails.
To find out more, read our article on the differences between DAM software and traditional media storage.
Managing the media lifecycle
The use of a DAM is not limited to the storage of digital media. It can also manage the entire lifecycle of digital resources, from creation to archiving or deletion. In this way, companies can track the use of their content, detect obsolete or under-utilized files, and end-of-rights media, and automatically replace or archive them. This approach not only reduces DAM clutter, but also promotes more responsible management of digital content.
For example, our DAM software lets you set reminders to update or archive your media after a certain period of inactivity. Keepeek also alerts you when media rights are about to expire. You can choose to archive it manually, automatically, or check with your content provider to see if you can renew your contract. What's more, Keepeek uses a low-power storage solution for archived media.
Reducing paper consumption
Digitizing resources with DAM software helps reduce paper use and waste. By storing and accessing media electronically, companies eliminate the production of physical documents. This has a dual benefit: reducing the carbon emissions associated with paper production and transport, and saving on printing and storage costs.
Reducing energy consumption
The organization of digital media needs to be structured to optimize resources and minimize their environmental impact. DAM software acts as a content hub, enabling you to sort your media efficiently, delete those no longer needed and make them easier to find thanks to relevant metadata.
As most DAM solutions are hosted in the cloud, they benefit from data centers designed to be energy efficient. Many of these centers also use renewable energy sources. Compared with in-house server management, this cloud model significantly reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Automate and collaborate for greater efficiency
Modern DAM solutions integrate automation functions and collaborative modules. These tools simplify repetitive tasks such as adding metadata or converting file formats. By freeing teams from these time-consuming tasks, DAM improves their productivity and overall efficiency. This streamlining of processes also helps to reduce the energy resources required for operations.
Keepeek offers a module that simplifies theintegration of your media with your content platforms. Designed to optimize your workflow, the Keepicker allows you to quickly access the media in your DAM from your marketing tools. This eliminates the tedious, time-consuming steps involved in managing digital media (downloading, resizing, importing, etc.).
Discover the KeepickerKeepeek interface directly into your favorite content management software!
Reducing the digital carbon footprint
Equipment manufacturing accounts for the lion's share of the digital industry's carbon footprint. However, electricity consumption linked to data transmission, storage and display activities accounts for around 20% of this footprint. Of this proportion, storage is responsible for 47% of greenhouse gas emissions, data transmission for 28% and data display for 25%(Carbo study).
Large files, especially high-resolution ones, require a great deal of energy to store and access. The DAM offers integrated tools to optimize the size of these contents without compromising their quality.
Thanks to these optimizations, companies can not only improve their technical performance but also minimize their environmental impact.
Media collaboration software: a necessary evolution
With teams often dispersed, the need for collaborative solutions becomes vital. The DAM offers a single platform where every user can find, share and use resources with ease. This not only reduces information silos, but also improves transparency and coordination.
Find out why international companies should centralize their branded content.
Image optimization: a major challenge
Did you know that images can be optimized to reduce their weight while maintaining their quality? Not only does this improve performance, it also reduces their ecological footprint. A report by Smashing Magazine indicates thatoptimizing images reduces their weight by an average of 50%.
Interested? Discover our dynamic dynamic image cropping for even lower environmental impact. The Dynameek module automates the transformation of your visuals in real time. It allows you to easily distribute them on all your websites and social networks, saving time and guaranteeing the quality of your images on your digital platforms.
DAM integration: a winning strategy
Integrating a DAM into your digital ecosystem can transform the way you manage content:
- Needs analysis: identify priority content and redundancies.
- Set up governance: define clear rules for media storage and sharing.
- Tracking performance: use the analytical tools at your disposal to measure savings.
A collaborative approach
DAM promotes collaboration. Teams share access to up-to-date resources, reducing the risk of error or duplication. Collaborators can access up-to-date files wherever they are, thanks to integrated cloud functionalities.
Towards a smaller digital footprint
Every gesture counts in a CSR approach. By centralizing content, optimizing transfers and reducing the number of duplicate files, DAM software helps reduce the overall impact of your digital activities.
Accessible, well-organized data
The DAM ensures that every file is quickly and easily accessible when you need it. This organization limits unnecessary searches, which waste time and duplicate media. A clear DAM methodology reduces redundancy and cuts data center energy costs.
Regulations and DAM
Companies must also take into account regulations on data management and confidentiality. Modern DAM software includes features that allow these requirements to be met while ensuring a lighter environmental footprint.
By adopting DAM software, companies can combine performance and sustainability. It's both an ecological and practical solution for optimizing media storage and sharing files with ease. Responsible digital media management is an essential lever for a successful CSR strategy.
