Going green can really get businesses going.
It’s not just a force for global good, it’s a commercial differentiator that marks an enterprise out as culturally aware and socially responsible.
In many cases, enterprises must prove their green credentials in order to win new business, including demonstrating that they partner with other organisations that share the same commitment to sustainability.
Indeed, recent research found that 50% of B2B buyers are consciously aware of an organisation’s social and environmental performance and see it as a reason to do business with them. Global giant Unilever recently disclosed that their sustainable brands – such as Ben & Jerry’s and Dove – have grown 46% faster than their other non-sustainable brands and now generate 70% of the company’s turnover growth.
Of course, technology in and of itself is a huge contributor to the reduction in global carbon emissions. Virtual desktops, unified communication tools, remote collaboration, and physical space-saving cloud migration are all contributing enormously to reduced emissions from travel and energy consumption.
For technology providers and their partners, the opportunities to turn a strategic sustainability strategy into a win-win for both them and their customers are everywhere. Getting started is often the hardest part of the journey – but the rewards can be truly transformational.
“Having a Corporate Carbon Footprint scheme is not only the responsible thing to do, it can also add significant value to your own brand and the brands of those organisations with which you partner – we are only just getting started but it already feels like we are making a difference,” says Jennifer Howden-Woodward, European Marketing Manager at leading cloud-based computing and communications vendor Evolve IP, whose EMEA division has just entered its second year of an ambitious programme aimed at achieving carbon neutrality.
“As well as demonstrating our own green credentials, our programme also benefits our resellers by awarding them a certificate which shows they partner with an organisation committed to sustainability. There’s that win-win.”
Evolve IP is now working with its own channel partners, starting with eco enthusiasts, Green IP by guiding them down the same path of becoming accountable for their carbon emissions and using the support of climate activists, Climate Partner. This helps them to better understand the emissions they’re creating as a business and looking at ways they can reduce and offset by analysing the businesses activities, including heating, energy consumption, business travel.
There is a budget to support the practical reduction of carbon emissions and, in areas of the business where that is impossible, they will be offset via financial support for projects that focus on social impact, ocean health and forest conservation.
Importantly, the division also has committed buy-in from senior leaders – a critical component of any sustainability programme.
“Our Managing Director is hugely interested in the issue and sees a lot of value in committing to a formal programme,” says Howden-Woodward.
“Internally, the programme has a lot of support. Colleagues at all levels want to help make the world a healthier place and are happy that they now work for an organisation that takes the same view. It means the programme is also contributing positively to our workplace culture and has positive implications for talent acquisition and retention.”
Brilliantly, Evolve IP has also begun scoping the next phase – offering its channel partners and vendors free access to its sustainability programme so they can benefit too.
“Via a management portal, and with no capital outlay, they would get expert support from our sustainability partner and be able to measure their own carbon emissions and take the first steps on their own green journey,” says Howden-Woodward.
“It would be a journey they didn’t think they could afford to embark on, and it would provide them with all of the benefits we have already spoken about – certification, brand value, and employee buy-in. Obviously, how they then choose to progress would be up to them.”
What’s for sure, technology providers are perfectly-placed to help businesses of all kinds and sizes lower carbon emissions whilst simultaneously driving their own growth.
And that’s the kind of opportunity that should not be missed.
To learn more about how Evolve IP (EMEA) is going green – and how its partners and customers will benefit – click here.
