Why is ESG important for Accelerate Procurement?
ESG (or Environmental, Social and Governance) are crucial considerations for
Accelerate Procurement, ensuring that the growth of the company is delivered in a
sustainable manner. Here at Accelerate Procurement we believe that prioritising ESG
not only fosters a positive environmental and societal impact but also contributes to the
financial resilience and competitive advantage for the company. So, what are our goals
for carbon neutrality and how are we ensuring that our business has a positive impact
on our environment?
What are AP goals for net zero and beyond?
Our carbon emissions baseline year of 2022 was assessed, independently verified, and
certified at the start of the new fiscal year. This created our formal data point from which
to measure the impact of our policies, commitments, and targets.
In line with the requirements of Science Based Targets (SBTs) we have committed to a
plan of self-delivered carbon reduction and targeted being carbon neutral in 2023 (which
we hit!) and to remain net neutral in CO2e terms through 2024-26 – with our socially focused
initiatives ensuring we are making a net positive impact on ESG in our business. These targets
underpin our ESG policy and overall direction as a business, which we have
communicated through our formal application to join the United Nations (UN) Global
Compact which was filed and received by the UN on 22nd September 2022.
As part of this, we have confirmed our commitment to the Ten Principles of the UN
Global Compact on Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption. In
addition, we have specifically confirmed our commitment to embedding an action plan in
our policy that supports the advancement of UN Sustainable Development Goals,
including:
Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
Goal 5: Gender Equality
Goal 13: Climate Action
How are we working against those environmental goals?
As a boutique scale service provider, we are committed to doing what we can in support of the environment, which starts with our commitment to carbon neutrality. We are in the process of removing 110% of our emissions – equal to 33 tons – which is the same as protecting 62,100 sq/m of existing forestry from being lost, as well as the below factually representative stats, as verified by Earthly, a credible thought leader in ESG terms:
We are focused on developing our business, whilst at the same time being conscious of our impacts to the point where we set a credible plan, and we deliver on it, to make good on any negative impacts that our business makes through its operations. Understanding our latest Intensity Factor as we grow will help to keep our strategy on course.
There are four ways that we will look to deliver against our environmental goals:
- Actively promote ways of working that enable / support the reduction of carbon, by:
- Promoting not travelling for work: we do this by working from home and delivering our operations through leveraging technology.
- Utilising client laptops: which have been procured and are an existing asset of the clients, to make use of equipment which is not in use.
- Promoting the use of paperless practices: including Docusign for document approval flows and Rocketbooks for note taking, to embed a Digital First way of thinking.
- Directly invest into credible, transparent carbon offset projects, including:
- Keo Seima: a REDD+ project with a focus on reducing high deforestation rates in eastern Cambodia by helping secure land rights for the indigenous Bunong in the area. The project began in 2010 and impacts more than 20,000 people.
- Seaweed Farming Innovations: this project is an opportunity to invest in early stage, nature-based innovation and help write the science to scale up seaweed farming across the South West of the UK. Seaweed grows quickly, rapidly removing carbon from the atmosphere and creating shelter and food for wildlife. Seaweed is also a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel, plastic, and fertiliser, reducing industrial carbon emissions and helping to create a circular economy.
- Maintain active membership of WeConnect and GenM, advocating for women leaders in business, and equal, ethical, and sustainable practice in both our operations and those of our clients.
- Identify social enterprise or social “give back” opportunities including sponsorship and backing of under-funded, under-represented sports teams, and investing time in socially focussed projects such as Food Banks.
Reporting progress against our net zero goals:
In line with our requirements as a UNGC member-in-waiting, we will report on our ESG performance annually, which will also be available for public consumption. Our latest offset investments and carbon offset dashboard can be found below:
https://teams.earthly.org/profile/Accelerate-Procurement
But in summary, our impact to date can be characterised as:
Looking to the future and next steps
Environmental, Social and Governance factors will always be central to the way that Accelerate Procurement think and act. We acknowledge that as an organisation we have a responsibility to our environment and our people, and that will never waiver.
Our commitment to ESG will continue to evolve alongside our business, it will always be something that we care deeply about, and importantly it will always be something that we take positive and meaningful action on.