A recent survey conducted by communications consultancy group ICUGlobal has revealed that, from a poll of 300 organisations, 70 per cent rated ‘reducing organisational carbon footprints’ as a key driver in their organisation’s decision to invest in webconferencing and collaboration.

The survey revealed that while organisations are constantly reviewing corporate travel and other communication practices for cost management reasons, the green debate is adding considerable impetus to webconferencing demand as this allows staff to meet visually, online, without needing to leave their place of work. This would not only save costs but generate environmental benefits in line with corporate social responsibility (CSR) targets.

Comment: So that’s settled then. Now that webconferencing appears to be saving the planet, maybe we can all turn our attention to achieving world peace. How about: if we all used more webconferencing, we could talk to more people around the world more of the time? In that way, we could all settle our multi-cultural differences without ever needing to leave our homes and we really would achieve world peace – except for places where online communications did not exist. But, apart from Antarctica and odd bits of central Africa, which would then have to become the world’s battlegrounds, life would be idyllic! Obviously, what we all need more of is webconferencing. It’s the answer to all our concerns. Should we make it available to everyone on the National Health, do you think?