Meet the Channel Sustainability Champions

Kyndryl is the world’s largest provider of IT infrastructure services, serving thousands of enterprises in more than 60 countries. The managed infrastructure services business debuted in 2021 after spinning off from IBM.

The company has focused on sustainability alongside profits said Faith Taylor, Kyndryl’s global sustainability & ESG officer.

“Within our first 18 months, we published our Corporate Citizenship report,” she said. “Kyndryl is committed to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2040, achieving 50% reduction of Scope 1, 2, 3, and purchasing 100% renewable energy by 2030.”

Kyndryl's Faith Taylor

To meet this goal, Taylor said it's important to report its progress using industry standards and frameworks such as the TCFD, SASB, GRI, CDP, and having a third party validate it. Additionally, the company is investing in the environmental education of its employees and suppliers.

Customer sustainability programs are commonly used by businesses. However, the recent Global Sustainability Barometer study from Kyndryl and Microsoft found only 56% of companies prioritize employee education and training in environmental measures.

To counter this trend, Kyndryl provides internal and external programs that offer education on greenhouse gas emissions. It also offers guidance on how employees can contribute to achieving net-zero commitments.

“At Kyndryl, we’ve seen how impactful these programmes can be,” said Taylor. “Our commitment is to scale global solutions, and the Barometer study enables us to identify the challenges and solutions with our customers and partners. “There is no doubt that sustainability should be at the core of every business on the path to net zero."

Taylor cited reports that April was the hottest month on record, with global temperatures surpassing the critical climate threshold.

“It has never been more important for companies to evaluate their environmental impact and include sustainability measures in their core business strategies," said Taylor.

EfficiencyIT was founded in 2016 “to challenge the status quo of what’s achievable versus what’s acceptable” in data centers, IT and critical communications environments. The rapidly growing reseller consultancy serves retailers, automotive, life science and public sector customers across the U.K. and EMEA. It specializes in the data center, CCaaS, software, electrical, mechanical, and cooling disciplines.

“At EfficiencyIT, sustainability is more than just a word,” said managing director Nick Ewing. “It is central to our business operations and will continue to be a key part of our growth strategy as we move into 2025 and beyond.”

EfficiencyIT's Nick Ewing

Today data centers account for up to 1.3% global electricity consumption and are said to emit the same amount of carbon as the airline industry. To address this, the company works with technology hardware and software providers to ensure customers use only the most sustainable and energy-efficient solutions.

From a hardware perspective, many of these come with environmental product disclosures (EPDs), which include details on embodied carbon and use of potentially harmful materials.

The company also leverages AI, machine learning and digital-twin software to help customers understand the power consumption of their critical environments. This also helps them take steps to reduce energy use, emissions and waste.

“Investing in sustainability is not only a moral imperative but also a business necessity,” said Ewing. “If channel companies fail to build their businesses sustainably, it hampers our collective efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve global sustainability goals. It’s about recognising that what is good for business can also benefit the planet.

“Channel companies prioritising sustainability are better positioned to meet the demands of an increasingly eco-conscious market," he added.

Agilitas IT Solutions is based in Nottingham, U.K., and operates a team of 109 employees.

Last year, Agilitas was awarded the Silver medal from EcoVadis in recognition of its ongoing efforts to embed sustainability into the organisation's core values. EcoVadis is relied on by global supply chains, financial institutions and public organisations to monitor and improve the sustainability performance of their businesses and partners.

EcoVadis evaluates businesses across 21 indicators, divided into four main categories. These are Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Business Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement. Agilitas is now listed in the top 25% of the 100,000-plus companies assessed.

“EcoVadis recognised Agilitas’ latest sustainability achievements, with the company’s Environmental score increasing from 60 to 90 out of a possible 100, said Deborah Johnson, head of ESG at Agilitas. “This is a testament to Agilitas’ dedication to strengthening its commitment to sustainability and extending the lifespan of its client's IT infrastructure through refurbishment and reuse programmes.

In the last 12 months, Agilitas has repaired more than 50,000 items of tech hardware and reused or recycled more than 80,000 items.

“Sustainability is no longer a nice to have, but imperative for businesses to succeed in today’s market,” said Johnson.

“Becoming more sustainable may be daunting for channel leaders, but business sustainability is more an opportunity than a threat as sustainable companies will be more resilient and remain competitive.”

However, Agilitas’ own Channel Trends report indicates there is still some way to go in the channel. Only 20% of businesses are hiring a dedicated lead and 25% have a dedicated team. A further 27% of channel leaders are outsourcing their ESG initiatives to consultants and 10% still do not report on any sustainability targets.

Johnson said that Agilitas has seen the number of supplier ESG questionnaires quadruple in the last year.

“A shift in the channel is beginning to emerge when it comes to building a sustainable business," she noted.

One of the U.K.’s biggest channel partners, SCC, recently announced a collaboration supporting an as-a-service solution that aims to stop more than 1 million electronic devices such as company mobile phones and laptops from going to the landfill over the next five years.

Electronic waste is now the fastest growing waste source in the world. Each year, approximately 50 million tonnes of electronic and electrical waste (e-waste) are produced. Only 20% is formally recycled.

The new collaboration is with the asset finance arm of NatWest bank, Lombard, and Rigby Capital. Businesses will be encouraged to invest in and install the hardware and software they need, manage the services they require, and show how their electronic devices have been recycled and re-used at the end of their life cycles, utilising well-established routes to secondary markets.

CDW is partnering with Pure Storage to offer customers data storage solutions which lower the energy consumption and footprint of the data center. The two firms said this enables CDW to offer customers immediate reductions in water use, electricity consumption, floor space and e-waste.

“At Pure Storage, sustainability has been built into our solutions from the very beginning. We developed all-flash technology in part because it is better at meeting customer needs but also because it requires less space, power and cooling. Compared to competing all-flash solutions, our technology reduces energy consumption by up to 85% and requires two to five times less power and space,” said Geoff Greenlaw, VP, partners, EMEA and LatAm, Pure Storage.

Pure Storage's Geoff Greenlaw

“Sustainability is vital for the planet and is the right thing to do and we have found a partner who shares the commitment and drive to support customers with sustainable technologies," he added.

“We ran an exciting campaign on the London Underground recently highlighting the partnership and some of the benefits customers can expect to see. This wasn’t a one-time project though — it’s an ongoing commitment from both of us to promote sustainable solutions and drive the best outcomes for our customers.”

BT is an £8 billion ($10.24 billion) revenue business with 24,000 employees. The company has committed to becoming a net-zero business by the end of March 2030. It's also working to ensure its supply chain and customer emissions meet this target by the end of March 2041. 

“Our measures are already having an impact,” says BT’s sustainability director, Sarwar Khan.

BT has seen a 56% cut in carbon emissions and a 20% decrease in supply chain emissions since 2017.

“However, Khan noted that “sustainability is a collective effort and the more collaboration we can foster, the easier it becomes to achieve targets.”

BT’s own research shows that one in 10 channel partners already is losing out on bids and RFPs due to not having the right sustainability credentials in place.

“The need for robust policies is no longer just an environmental concern, but a business one too,” said Khan. 

Secondly, in 2025, a mandatory carbon reporting requirement will come into force in the U.K.

“Most customers serviced by channel partners will be required to share their carbon emissions and how they’re reducing them. Partners therefore need to keep this in mind and begin to think about how they can support,” said Khan. "At BT, we’ve set a target to help customers avoid 60 million tonnes of carbon emissions by the end of March 2030. We also assist our third-party suppliers in setting and committing to sustainability targets that are realistic for their businesses.”

Exertis UK is a FTSE100 company with 1,170 employees and 2,746 solar panels on its National Distribution Center roof. Any additional energy required at the NDC and all other U.K. sites is purchased from a renewable energy provider.

“The world faces significant challenges, from environmental disruption to social inequalities,” said Sion Wineyard, chief logistics officer at Exertis. “We are committed to being part of the solution to these challenges. By investing in what the world needs, we aim to contribute to a more sustainable and prosperous future for all. Our dedication to sustainability is not only driven by a sense of responsibility but also by the immense opportunities that this journey will create. [We're] operating more ethically, responsibly and protecting the environment to provide what the world needs.”

Within Exertis’ distribution facilities, there is only 8% fresh air in the boxes its ships. The "best in class" for a pick solution is seen as 25%.

Elsewhere, the distributor has beaten a 2025 deadline to achieve a 20% reduction in scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions. It is also way ahead of a 2030 deadline to reduce scope 1 emissions by 50%.

European distributor ALSO has more than 4,000 employees across 30 European countries, with a total of 144 countries worldwide.

Mark Appleton is chief customer officer at ALSO Cloud UK, which was established in 2023 when ALSO entered the U.K. market. He said the company’s investment in sustainability not only reduces environmental harm but helps foster long-term eco-consciousness and resilience across the channel. 

“Other channel companies should invest in sustainability to stay competitive, mitigate risks associated with climate change, and contribute positively to the planet and society. Green initiatives also work hand in hand with future-proofing operations and cutting back waste costs, so the cost benefits are there for those who trust in IT solution providers that champion sustainability initiatives for their customers. It’s just the responsibility of channel companies to know where to look.”

European distributor ALSO has more than 4,000 employees across 30 European countries, with a total of 144 countries worldwide.

Mark Appleton is chief customer officer at ALSO Cloud UK, which was established in 2023 when ALSO entered the U.K. market. He said the company’s investment in sustainability not only reduces environmental harm but helps foster long-term eco-consciousness and resilience across the channel. 

“Other channel companies should invest in sustainability to stay competitive, mitigate risks associated with climate change, and contribute positively to the planet and society. Green initiatives also work hand in hand with future-proofing operations and cutting back waste costs, so the cost benefits are there for those who trust in IT solution providers that champion sustainability initiatives for their customers. It’s just the responsibility of channel companies to know where to look.”