Top-level executives are failing to take the lead in green IT initiatives, according to new research.

Interviews with senior IT management at 350 enterprise organisations of various sizes and industry sectors provided clear insight into the realities of a nation supposedly consumed by environmental concerns.

But, while many companies shout about their green credentials, the reality in the IT department is far less encouraging.

A number of companies cited failures originating from a perceived lack of leadership at the top of business.

The research, conducted by distributor Bell Micro, pointed to the critical role that senior executives play in the introduction, and subsequent rollout, of successful green IT policies.

Bell Micro's 'Passing The Green IT Buck' report reveals that 79 per cent of UK companies have failed to adopt a formal policy, and 91 per cent have failed to apportion specific budget to green IT issues.

Green issues are taken seriously by 84 per cent of organisations, elevating the issue to the attention of top management.

But, despite this claim, only half of the UK's IT decision makers actually believe that the drive for green IT initiatives comes from the chief executive or managing director.

Only 27 per cent see the impetus coming from employees attempting to drive policy change.

When it comes to proactively initiating green processes, around 91 per cent of UK organisations have failed to allocate specific budget to accommodate necessary changes.

Only seven per cent of large organisations find it necessary to assign a specialist project team that can drive green changes across a business. In the SME category this falls to just two per cent.

"Now must be the time to take a proactive approach to reducing the levels of power consumption and hardware wastage," said Antony Young, director of the services, security and networking divisions at Bell Micro.

This is not purely to reduce financial expenditure, Young explained, but because enforcing green policies is increasingly being seen as the right ethical response.

"What is clear from the research findings is that, when it comes to being green, chief executives must drive the business policies forward," he said.

"It is disconcerting that the research does not yet indicate a significant level of action, but it also suggests that changes are ready to be made which is promising."