SMART CT is on a bold course to achieve Net Zero in 2045 – five years ahead of the government’s target and its latest ESG impact report charts the route the 21-year-old company will take to get there.
CEO Andy Morgan says in the ESG impact report: “Smart CT has held a steady presence in the ever-evolving world of technology. We have navigated seismic shifts – from rapid technological advancements to unparalleled social events, to one of the most pressing challenges facing today’s society, the climate crisis. “Adapting to these changes has not only been vital, but it has also fuelled our mission: to minimise disruption by keeping technology connected through our world-class customer support, extensive spare parts and highly trained engineers ensure our customers achieve maximum uptime.”
The report, compiled by the company’s ESG Committee with support from independent expert Sustainable Advantage, looks at the progress the company has made into the ESG principals into its core operation – Environment, Social and Governance.
Environment
Smart CT business model is the embodiment of the Circular Economy, in essence it keeps technology hardware operational for longer through maintenance, repairs and repurposing them and their spare parts for as long as possible to reduce landfill. By working with recycling and disposal specialists the company has ensured that just 0.5 per cent of its 3.9 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) goes to landfill.
The company is continually improving the monitoring of its carbon footprint data despite the complexity of the business to identify areas for emissions savings.
Environmental Officer Claire Jones, a passionate advocate for sustainability who was recently a finalist in the CRN Sustainability in Tech Awards, is leading the work to track and communication energy usage to instil collective responsibility among staff. Incremental measures such as switching off lights and monitors and car-sharing are playing an increasingly vital role in reducing environmental impact.
The company’s CanTrack vehicle tracking system can highlight carbon emissions to help address driving behaviour and inefficiencies such as route management to help save time and costs.
Social
The company has also introduced its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategy to outline its commitment to inclusion and underscores its appreciation for those with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles, and circumstances.
This is just one instance of a people-led approach to the way the company engages with its staff through CEO updates, emails, performance reviews, company events and an employee engagement questionnaire. The outcomes have included increased holiday entitlement, charity days, a wellbeing policy, hybrid working, increased company communication, a social area, additional training and personal development and the introduction of staff awards.
The same transparent approach has been taken with customers through an honest and collaborative approach over its ESG policies through a Supplier Code of Conduct. Smart CT’s track record of excellent customer service is reflected in its latest Customer Satisfaction Survey, where it achieved a Net Promotor Score of 92 for its field engineers’ overall service.
Governance
The seven-strong ESG staff committee, drawn from all areas of the business, plays a key role in shaping and implementing sustainable practices and ensures the Smart CT board’s polices are implemented.
“The committee is incredibly motivated and really the driving force throughout the company for the changes we want to introduce,” said Mr Morgan. “While they are embracing everything we have set out, they are close enough to the day to day operation to spot the areas where we can introduce small incremental alterations that eventually add up to a major difference. We can spend time pondering seismic changes that we hope will change our direction of travel but in reality it is these tiny course corrections that will get us there.”
Because of the company’s meticulous approach to policies and procedures and its commitment to underpinning all of these with its ESG goals, it has renewed three key accreditations over the past year ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 27001 (information security).
In the report, Mr Morgan stresses that while progress is being made, there is more work to be done – and Smart CT is not alone in its journey. “It is not just us driving the change. We see a promising sign: our customers are demanding a more sustainable and equitable future, pushing for positive changes across the entire value chain,” he says.
“Together with our customers, we’re collaborating in frequent service delivery reviews and we are reshaping the future of the sector – one that prioritises the wellbeing of our planet and its people, not just business success.”
Read the full ESG Report 2023 here
