01732 759725 16 INTERVIEW roadmaps for reducing the carbon footprint of their fleets and journeys to see whether there are more sustainable options. It is also planning to work with partners and vendors to identify whether there are any steps in the distribution/delivery process that can be removed. “At the moment, after a product has left China, for example, it arrives at a port in the UK, it comes to a hub, it comes to us, then out to a reseller, then to an end user. It’s not beyond the wit of man to cut out some of those journeys. We are starting those very complex conversations with our vendors and our customers now. “The other thing we’re doing is upgrading our buildings. In Basingstoke, we’re moving to a new building on our existing business park that has much higher environmental credentials than the one we’re in. Sustainability’s not the only reason we’re moving, but when we worked with our consultants on finding a new property, it was the number one criterion on our list. And then we have an office in Bracknell that was coming up for lease-end, where we have decided to stay, on condition that the landlord upgrades the environmental credentials of the building.” DEI The momentum that has propelled sustainability up the corporate agenda is having the same effect on DEI, which has become a real focus for Tech Data. Although people aren’t necessarily looking for statistical evidence of the effectiveness you're going to have to be hitting those carbon goals to be a supplier to them. It's appearing in our tenders. And actually for businesses of a certain size, it’s now going to have to appear in our statutory accounts as well. So, there is this pressure now to make a move. “What's good about it is no one’s looking for a competitive advantage. They are saying what are you doing? Can you help? Have you got any interesting ideas? Some partners are saying, if I’m going to hit my Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions targets, I need you to hit your Scopes 1 and 2. There’s this pressure for everyone to get their house in order.” As well as starting to address its own carbon footprint, Tech Data is working with Arete Zero Carbon to supply its carbon assessments and carbon reduction plans as a service so that resellers can fast-track their ability to respond to questions about their sustainability strategy. The service includes personal assessments, help with data gathering, measurement of a business’s carbon footprint and, if required, a bespoke carbon reduction plan based on Arete’s assessment and knowledge of the IT industry. So, what is Tech Data itself doing beyond entry-level initiatives like installing electric car chargers, LED lighting and solar panels and recycling waste? With nearly half of its Scope 3 emissions coming from transport and distribution, Watts says Tech Data is liaising with its carriers to find out about their ESG makes its mark Confidence in the future of the Technology Channel has reached a record high amongst UK industry decision-makers, with the overall confidence score reaching 7.8 out of a possible 10, according to a new report from channel services provider Agilitas IT Solutions. The EVOLVE Technology Channel Confidence Index 2022 – The Journey to a Sustainable Future highlights a steady rise in confidence about the future of the Technology Channel to 7.8, compared to 7.4 in 2021. The 250 senior leaders from UK-headquartered, £5m+ turnover channel businesses surveyed by Agilitas were even more confident about the prospects of their own companies over the next 12 months, with a combined confidence rating of 7.9. When asked how important building local supply chains and ecosystems across global markets will be to their business in the next 12 months, respondents generated a mean score of 7.7 (where 10 was ‘very important’). More than half (59%) gave a globalocal approach scores of 8, 9 or 10. Other findings include: n 47% of decision-makers state their organisations measure sustainability targets quarterly; n The level of confidence in delivering customer experiences saw a return to pre-pandemic scores, climbing back to 7.9; n Confidence in the channel’s ability to form collaborative partnerships that balance profit with purpose scored 7.9; n Company culture was highly important to this year’s respondents, sitting at 8.2; and n Technology Channel leaders showed strong confidence in attracting and retaining talent at 7.8, with 64% scoring 8 or above. Agilitas CEO Shaun Lynn said: “As the first Agilitas market report of the post-pandemic era, there is no surprise that the first EVOLVE Technology Channel Confidence Index would offer up such a diverse mix of results, full of lessons learned, progression and disruption. The vision to act with impact extends to all corners of the Technology Channel to build an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable future. Now, the true value of success is no longer determined by financial gain alone, as many channel players seek to re-evaluate the way they do business to find the right balance between profits and purpose.” https://www.agilitas.co.uk/agilihub/initiatives/ channel-confidence-index-2022/ of DEI programmes, Watts says that they want to see that you are doing something about it and that you believe in its value. “I think pre-pandemic, we were a little bit behind the curve for a business of our size, but during the pandemic, we set up a DEI Council within the UK. We have a Business Resource Group called Elevate, which is around women in leadership; we have one representing LGBTQ+; we have one called Embrace, to make people of all races, religions and cultures feel welcome; and soon we will have one around disability. “We just think it is the right thing to do. That’s what our teams tell us and certainly what our younger team members tell us. And secondly, we are pretty sure we don’t look exactly like the communities we hire from, and we want to. We want all the talents working in our offices and when they get here, we want them to be comfortable. Having a really strong DEI strategy has been great for us, and we’re only just at the start of that. As with sustainability, I talk about these things with humility; there’s so much more for us to do.” It has been a topsy-turvy couple of years and there are still major problems, from product shortages, inconsistent supply and backlogs to skills shortages, rising fuel costs and inflation. At the same time, as Watts says, there continue to be big opportunities for the channel as enterprises adjust their offices and IT to support new ways of working and to create fairer, more sustainable businesses. ...continued
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