Best practice guidelines for digital sobriety

Towards sober and responsible digital in our universities

Université de Montréal, HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal and Université TÉLUQ have joined forces with the Collectif Numérique responsable et soutenable to make digital technology a driving force behind universities’ social and ecological transition.

Digital as a lever for sustainability.

Digital technology plays a central role on university campuses, in classrooms and laboratories. It is transforming the way we learn, collaborate and innovate. But it also relies on physical and energy-intensive infrastructures that generate a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbate global resource consumption.

Best practices

Evolving and adaptable, 28 best practices have been established to guide everyone's actions towards a more sustainable and humane digital world.

They are based on three complementary approaches:

Positive: highlighting the benefits and solutions of digital sobriety
Systemic: considering the entire digital life cycle and its global effects
Concrete: equip communities to act, question, experiment and make informed decisions about their digital environment.

Download the digital sobriety best practice guidelines

A collective commitment

By adopting these practices, universities are laying the foundations for a digital environment that supports both the ecological transition and the educational mission.

This collective movement invites :

optimize the use of digital tools
extend equipment service life
focus on more sustainable technological solutions
raise community awareness

What about you?

You are invited to adopt and adapt these practices while citing the following source: Référentiel de bonnes pratiques en sobriété numérique - Université de Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, HEC Montréal, Université TÉLUQ and Collectif Numérique Responsable et Soutenable (2025)

By drawing inspiration from these best practices, you can build a more sober digital ecosystem.