Sustainable Software Manifesto
Software shapes the world we live in. It powers communication, education, commerce, and culture. But it also consumes vast amounts of energy, accelerates extraction, concentrates power, and often undermines the trust and wellbeing of communities.
The systems we create are never neutral. They can magnify harm, or they can strengthen the foundations of a just and sustainable society. How we build today shapes what becomes possible tomorrow.
This manifesto is our commitment to the latter. It calls on creators, maintainers, organizations, and citizens to align digital systems with the needs of a thriving world. Sustainable software is not a luxury, but an essential part of our shared future.
Principles
- Lower environmental impact – Every line of code has a footprint. Sustainable software minimizes harm and aligns our digital systems with ecological limits.
- Enduring design – When systems are designed to last, they reduce exclusion, limit waste, and remain usable across devices and contexts.
- Human wellbeing – Technology should nurture, not exploit. Sustainable systems strengthen relationships and reflection instead of eroding them.
- Inclusive creation – Technology serves humanity best when it welcomes everyone and adapts to diverse abilities, languages, and contexts.
- Data sovereignty – Data represents people's lives and belongs to them. Sustainable systems give individuals real control over their data.
- Transparent algorithms – Algorithms influence opportunity, representation, and truth. Their impact must be understandable and open to challenge.
- Fair labor – Sustainable systems depend on fair labor, ethical business models, and shared value creation.
- Open infrastructure – Open systems are adaptable systems. They invite participation, foster transparency, and distribute power.
- Collaborative development – Sustainability is a process, not a destination. Transparent practices allow communities to contribute to continuous improvement.
- Governance for the common good – Sustainable software is guided by shared stewardship and decision-making that prioritizes the public good.