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Web Sustainability Guidelines: What they mean for your B2B website

Web Sustainability Guidelines: What they mean for your B2B website

Aug 28, 2024

For modern business, websites have become a vital tool in reaching and engaging with their target audience and as technology continues to evolve, so does our understanding of the environmental impact of web usage.

While it may seem odd that an intangible space of ones and zeros can have a physical environmental impact, it is an all too real concern. The servers that power our websites, the data centres that store our information and the devices we use to access the internet all consume energy and resources.

In fact, the digital industry is responsible for 3-5% of global emissions, which is more than the aviation industry and if the internet was a country, it would be one of the top five polluters in the world.

This has led to a growing emphasis on web sustainability, which refers to the practice of designing and building websites that minimise their negative impact on the planet. In a bid to improve efforts towards a more sustainable digital world, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) released the Web Sustainability Guidelines (WSGs 1.0) in late 2023. 

Who created the Web Sustainability Guidelines?

The Web Sustainability Guidelines are a collection of best practices and recommendations, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of websites while enhancing user experience and accessibility.

While they are primarily managed by the W3C, The WSGs are the culmination of nearly two years of collaborative effort by a large group of volunteers from organisations around the world.

This dedicated team, composed of academics, business leaders, web and UX designers, developers, sustainability consultants and more, has created a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve the digital products and services they create and manage.

The resulting guidelines are best practices based on measurable, evidence-based research, aimed at end-users, web workers, stakeholders, tool authors, educators and policymakers.

What are the primary goals of the WSGs?

While the WSG contains 93 guidelines and 232 success criteria (you can read the full guidelines above) its primary goals are to emphasise the importance of environmental impact, user experience and social responsibility, and can be broken down into the following key points.

Energy Efficiency

Highlighting the responsibility of web designers and developers to adopt energy efficient means of:

  • Server Optimisation: Choose energy-efficient servers and data centres.
  • Code Optimisation: Write clean, efficient code to minimise resource consumption.
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Distribute content across multiple servers to reduce latency and energy usage.
  • Image Optimisation: Compress images without compromising quality to reduce file size and load times.

Accessibility

Design your website to be accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

  • Inclusive Design: Ensure your website is usable by people with disabilities.
  • WCAG Compliance: Adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to meet accessibility standards.
  • Alternative Text: Provide alternative text for images and other non-text content.
  • Keyboard Navigation: Make your website navigable using only a keyboard.

Performance Optimisation

Optimise your website to reduce energy consumption and improve user experience.

  • Fast Load Times: Optimise loading speed to reduce energy consumption and improve user experience.
  • Caching: Implement browser caching to reduce server load and improve performance.
  • Minification: Reduce the size of your CSS and JavaScript files.
  • Lazy Loading: Load content only when it’s needed to improve initial page load speed.

Resource Management

Efficient resource management is crucial for improving website performance and reducing environmental impact.

  • Reduce HTTP Requests: Minimise the number of requests your website makes to the server.
  • Minimise Data Transfer: Optimise your website’s content to reduce the amount of data transferred.
  • Avoid Bloatware: Remove unnecessary code and resources from your website.

Carbon Footprint

Carbon offsetting can be used to neutralise the environmental impact of a website’s hosting and other activities.

  • Green Hosting: Choose a hosting provider that uses renewable energy sources.
  • Data Center Efficiency: Consider the energy efficiency of the data centre where your website is hosted.
  • Carbon Offset: Consider carbon offsetting to neutralise the carbon footprint of your website.

Implications for B2B website design and build

As a full service B2B digital marketing agency, Extramile Digital understands the significant implications of the WSGs for the design and build process of B2B websites.

We ensure that every site designed and developed for our clients adheres to the web sustainability guidelines, ensuring that we can create websites that are not only more sustainable but also enhance user experience and improve brand reputation.

By implementing web sustainability guidelines, B2B businesses can enjoy several significant benefits, including:

  • Enhanced User Experience: Accessible and high-performing websites provide a superior user experience, leading to increased engagement, customer satisfaction, and higher conversion rates.

  • Improved Brand Reputation: Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can significantly enhance your brand’s image and attract environmentally conscious customers. In today’s world, consumers are increasingly aware of social and environmental issues, and they are more likely to support businesses that share their values.

  • Cost Savings: Optimising your website for sustainability can lead to substantial cost reductions. For example, by reducing energy consumption through efficient hosting and optimisation techniques, you can lower your energy bills.

  • Legal Compliance: Adhering to accessibility guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), is essential for ensuring your website is accessible to people with disabilities. 

By prioritising sustainability in your website design and build process, you can create a more impactful and sustainable online presence.

If you want to ensure that your B2B website is sustainable, accessible and delivers an exceptional user experience for your customers, speak to our team of experts today! 

Contact us today to discuss your B2B website build.