The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has officially approved Softcat’s targets to take urgent climate action and contribute to halting the global temperature rise.
Softcat is the first IT company in Europe to receive this and one of only 35 companies worldwide to have their net-zero targets approved by SBTi. Only six companies across all sectors in the UK have had their targets approved.
The FTSE250 company had two key science-based targets approved this week for emission scopes 1, 2, and 3 as part of its wider work of embedding sustainability at the heart of its business. Softcat committed to:
- Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% by 2030 for scopes 1, 2, and 3; and
- Reduce GHG emissions by 90% by 2040, both targets from a 2021 base year.
SBTi is a global partnership enabling businesses to set ambitious emission reduction targets in line with the latest climate science. COP26, the 2021 United Nations climate change conference, highlighted the importance of collaboration and partnership between global businesses to close the carbon emission gap, by reporting their efforts to reduce the global temperature. SBTi is now focused on accelerating companies across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050.
Graeme Watt, chief executive officer at Softcat, which provides innovative end-to-end tech solutions, said: “We have been doing everything we can to achieve net-zero ten years ahead of the global target. The latest climate science is worrying, but it has shown it is still possible to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C, but we are dangerously close to that threshold.
“At Softcat we have made sustainability a core element of our business and are always looking to effect change not just do better. It is fantastic that we have officially had our targets approved as this keeps us laser-focused and motivated to drive change in our own organisation and work with our partners, supply chain, and customers on their social responsibility journey through the technology we provide. To have our science-based targets approved is very meaningful but just the start.”
One of the ways Softcat is aiming to help other organisations in the UK tackle climate change is by developing Enexo. This unique and intuitive sustainability application allows any organisation in the UK to measure, manage and reduce its carbon emissions. The cloud-based platform, which is free of charge to all Softcat customers that register before 31 December 2022, is due to launch publicly later this year and draws on data from approximately 12 million points of record and Softcat's own experience in decarbonising its business.
This enables organisations to benchmark their emissions against other organisations and review historical data which will help Softcat reduce its own carbon footprint and that of its customers, thereby supporting organisations in planning their net-zero journey and exploring emission reduction mitigations across the supply chain and investments.
Softcat continually shows its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments, including winning CRN Tech Impact awards in 2021 for Sustainable Reseller and Transformation of the Year: Reseller Category, and being shortlisted again this year in five categories. It is currently working with TBL Services which helps businesses with their environmental and social responsibility.