ESG policy, from choice to necessity

On October 4, our Lead Strategist Antoine Molinari attended the Canalys forums in Barcelona, a conference dedicated to the IT channel and its trends.

We might not be a VAR ourselves, but our sister company is, and our approach has always been to cooperate with vendors and work hand-in-hand with the Channel. We believe that sitting around the same table and understanding each other’s perspective goes a long way.

So, what was on the agenda this year?

In a nutshell, AI and sustainability were the recurring themes and if generative AI definitely is a topic of interest, it is the latter that inspired us to write this article as we believe we have an increasingly important role to play in encouraging good practices around circular IT and sustainable IT infrastructure management.

In our industry, like in many others, having a sustainability strategy is no longer a choice but a necessity. A necessity for the environment of course, but also for your business and its long-term growth. ESG policy is no longer a luxury add-on to your RFP but has become what one the speakers in Spain called “a license to sell.” One may argue that commitment is great, action is better. But how do you act together if you do not commit? How do you fit sustainability into your strategy without making it clear to all your stakeholders how you are planning to do your share?

EU law requires all large companies and all publicly listed companies to disclose information on what they see as the risks and opportunities arising from social and environmental issues, and on the impact of their activities on people and the environment.

If sustainability is the “why” then a solid ESG policy is the “how.” Of course, it is not just about the environment, we are not forgetting the S and the G.

We, at Ynvolve, took the time to work on this to formalize a way of working that has been part of our DNA since day one. Whether it is to make sure gender equality is respected up to top management level or that our sales team is professionally trained on business ethics, we are constantly trying to learn and adapt. We are far from being perfect and we know it, but we believe every little step counts and takes us further on the path.

So, whether you are acting because the law says you should do so, or just because you feel like doing the right thing, small streams make big rivers!