By equipping developers with the resources and guidance needed to integrate sustainability into their work, the committee empowers them to lead the shift toward greener software development. Through community engagement and strategic partnerships, it fosters a global movement for sustainable software practices.

The Developer Relations Committee (DRC) was officially approved by the Steering Committee on 18th July 2024.

Manifesto

Vision and Mission

Vision

To empower software developers worldwide to integrate sustainability into their work by providing the education, resources, and recognition necessary to adopt green software standards, driving measurable environmental impact and fostering a global movement toward sustainable software practices.

Mission

The mission of the Developer Relations Committee is to drive the adoption of Green Software Foundation standards by empowering developers with the tools, resources, and frameworks needed to create sustainable software. Through advocacy, education, and community building, the committee fosters collaboration among developers, open-source communities, and industry leaders while recognizing contributions that inspire innovation. Acting as a bridge between the developer ecosystem and the Green Software Foundation, it ensures alignment with developer needs and emphasizes the critical role of green software in combating climate change.

"The Developer Relations Committee is key to bridging the gap between software practitioners and green software. By providing practitioners with the necessary guidance, resources & tools, and recognition for their work, we empower them to drive real change toward a sustainable future." - Asim Hussain, GSF Executive Director

Scope & Responsibilities

The committee has devolved power from the SC to run autonomously within the scope defined below.

Scope

The Developer Relations Committee (DRC) of the Green Software Foundation (GSF) focuses on promoting and supporting the adoption of Green Software Standards globally. The committee's scope includes:

• Advocating for green software practices through education and outreach.
• Supporting developers by providing resources, tools, and frameworks to build sustainable software solutions.
• Building and fostering a community of developers and industry leaders to amplify the impact of sustainable software.
• Bridging the communication gap between the developer community and the GSF, ensuring alignment with developers' needs and priorities.
• Celebrating and amplifying the contributions of Green Software Champions to inspire further innovation.

The DRC operates across industries, geographies, and developer communities to make green software a standard practice.

Responsibilities

• Promoting Green Software Standards: Encouraging the adoption of GSF standards within the software developer community.
• Supporting Global Outreach Programs: Engaging developers through initiatives like Meetup events and other outreach efforts.
• Fostering Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with academic institutions, civil society, key open-source organisations (e.g., CNCF), and community organisations to further green software adoption.
• Developer Enablement: Providing the necessary tools, education, and resources for developers to successfully adopt and implement GSF standards.

Example Activities

• Guide the creation of hands-on tutorials and educational content, such as "How to Measure and Reduce Your Application’s Carbon Intensity with SCI Tools," to empower developers to implement Green Software Standards.
• Identifying events we’d like Green Software champions to speak at, and shaping the topics of these talks.
• Reviewing the CNCF TAG ENV progress in integrating the SCI into CNCF projects
• Collaborating with the GSF Research team to develop a case study on Amadeus’ use of the Impact Framework
• Collaborate with the GSF Hardware Standards Working Group on the development of a Green Infrastructure practitioner course

Authority

This standing committee has devolved power from the Steering Committee to run autonomously within the scope defined below. They should endeavour to keep the Steering Committee current on relevant information.

The committee has the authority to propose new projects across the GSF.

Decision Making

The committee operates on a consensus basis; all representatives must agree on changes. If consensus is unachievable, a supermajority vote will resolve any discord.

The committee will have representatives from around the world. To ensure an effort is made to reach a consensus, the committee should work async-first through discussions and collaboration on documents, forums, and emails. If the committee can't resolve an issue async, then the committee will schedule meetings with key parties to reach a consensus.

Limitations

• The Steering Committee retains the right to ratify any of the deliverables generated
• The DRC does not organize standalone events but supports developer engagement at existing events.
• It does not function as a direct implementation or development team for green software tools, focusing instead on advocacy and enablement.

Governance

See our Committee Operating Model.