Grey Matter spices up ESG strategy with Fifty Shades Greener partnership

The VAR will try to “conquer” its Scope 3 emissions before focusing on its journey to net zero

Software reseller and cloud service provider Grey Matter has partnered with sustainability educator Fifty Shades Greener to develop its first ESG report and sustainability strategy.

This collaboration will have five main goals on the long term.

Firstly, it will aim to reduce the VAR’s energy and carbon emissions by measuring, managing, and monitoring its energy needs from its built environment, business travel, and employee commuting.

To reduce its carbon footprint and come with a plan to transition to renewable energies for all its facilities, the company will also conduct energy audits and mapping of data hosting and services.

The circular economy will also play a key role in Grey Matter’s ESG ambitions, as it will strive to conduct fully lifecycle assessments (LCA) of all sourced hardware, promote responsible e-waste management in its offices, and educate vendors and clients on best practices for sustainable disposal and recycling of ICT equipment.

In terms of data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI, the Devon-based company will commit to upholding data privacy alongside AI adoption, ensuring robust cybersecurity frameworks, constantly reviewing AI use cases, and maintaining compliance with GDPR and other relevant data protection laws.

The firm also intends to double down its effort on the S in ESG, by measuring its position in DEI, reviewing and boosting DEI policies, as well as leveraging assistive technologies to create an inclusive digital environment.

Finally, it will seek to engage in responsible sourcing, collaborate with selected vendors, and develop a supplier’s code of ethics to prevent any human rights infringement in the supply chain.

The company also wants to focus on reducing its Scope 3 emissions for now, before looking into achieving net zero.

In the near term, Grey Matter shared a list of commitment for the next few months.

The organisation will appoint a team of ESG leaders within the organisation and form “green teams”, provide training to all employees of the organisation, and complete a double materiality assessment to identify impacts, risks and opportunities.

The software reseller and cloud service provider will also measure and release its material greenhouse gases publicly by 1 April 2025.

It will do the same for its social and governance practices, which it will publicly release by 1 July 2025, followed by an improvement plan.