Orro: Delivering a sustainable future enabled by the cloud

In Australia, Orro is synonymous with ironclad software-defined infrastructure and sovereign cloud services that enable new ways of working, from fully managed cloud-native applications that accelerate the pace of business, to advanced collaboration tools that deliver on the promise of remote work. It is a pedigree that aligns well with the company’s ambitious call to action: “Securely Connected Everything™.”

COO Daniel Greengarten has focused the company on a core goal, but achieving it is but one indicator of success. How it is achieved is just as important – a distinction that requires a sustainable approach.

CIO recently connected with Greengarten to learn more about his vision for Orro, how it aligns with the company’s decision to join VMware’s Zero Carbon Committed Initiative, and why he believes sustainably delivered cloud services have the potential to make a difference in efforts to combat climate change.

“Broadly speaking, our key organizational goal is to become Australia’s most respected platform-enabled, secure network, and digital infrastructure provider,” says Greengarten. “While our success is shaped by numerous variables, including the way in which we interact with and service our clients, and the ways in which we engage and support our employees, our commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen that embraces sustainable business practices is at the core of our efforts to be the most respected organization in our field.”

Greengarten believes that effort begins with building an Environmental, Social, and Governance program that addresses the unique risks faced by the IT services industry. For Orro, those include carbon emissions, obsolete equipment, data theft, gender diversity, disturbance to natural sites, and ethical sourcing.

“With IT services that draw on the capabilities of the cloud, we have the potential to do great things for the environment, but we must be mindful of the risks we face,” he says. “Whether it is the carbon emissions associated with our data centers; the use of equipment that drains natural resources if not recycled properly; data theft that harms people, companies, and governments; the shortage of women in leadership roles; the disturbances we cause to wild areas when building our networks; or the danger of using electronic components sourced from cheap-labor countries, it quickly becomes clear that how you do business defines true success.”

Greengarten believes the scalability and efficiency of cloud platforms provide a powerful foundation for sustainability efforts across industries by empowering them to reduce carbon emissions across their operations. But such services must be sustainably delivered – a key reason Orro supports and joined VMware’s Zero Carbon Committed initiative and is finalizing its timeline to achieve net zero operations.

He points to use cases that are broadly applicable: Cloud-based supply management systems can enable greater transparency and traceability while helping organizations collaborate to lower emissions; advanced data analytics and machine learning that makes it possible to visualize energy consumption patterns, identify inefficiencies, and optimize energy usage; and cloud solutions that enable secure remote work and eliminate the need for business travel.

Notably, Orro supports customers at any point in their journey to attain and draw on such capabilities. The company’s sovereign private cloud network, built on VMware technologies and delivered from three highly advanced data centers, is one of the largest in Australia. Public and hybrid cloud options are also offered, as are a full array of managed cloud services.

“We support our clients at every point in their cloud journey, and that includes helping them decrease their carbon footprint,” adds Greengarten. “And we do all of this while enabling them to offer a rich user experience to those who use their corporate applications on any device and from any location.”

Orro continues to further its sustainability efforts in other ways as well. These include recycling programs, efforts to reduce the company’s office footprint, and participation in programs like Climate Active, a collaborative partnership between the Australian government and Australian businesses to take voluntary action on climate change.

It is an approach that is delivering exceptional results, among them the creation of a new digital network for Sunshine Private Hospital. The digital platform, which includes a private cloud to manage the workloads of the numerous applications used throughout the facility, enables everyone across clinical and administrative roles to access the up-to-date information needed to deliver exceptional patient care.

The platform also enabled Sunshine Private Hospital to dramatically decrease the amount of power and water it uses – all while strengthening infection control measures and achieving better patient health outcomes. It is hoped that the hospital, the first all-digital medical facility of its kind in Australia, will serve as the reference architecture for a new approach to a more effective, and more sustainable, environmentally friendly approach to healthcare.

“As a father, it’s particularly rewarding to see the gains we are making and to work with organizations like VMware and Climate Active,” says Greengarten. “Together, we can make a more sustainable future possible for our planet and all who inhabit it.”

Learn more about Orro and its partnership with VMware here.