Esprinet: Vendors need to share more ESG-related data with their channel partners
Italy-based distribution giant is committed to a sustainable future but urges more collaboration from vendors on emissions reporting
Esprinet is determined to keep pushing ahead with its ambitious growth plans, with sustainability and DEI playing a key role.
The Italian firm, which employs over 1,800 people and achieved turnover of €4.1bn in its FY2024, currently operates across Italy, Spain and Portugal, with a presence in Morocco. It works with over 850 vendor partners, and serves around 30,000 customers, split across enterprise, SMB and the public sector.
It began reporting in line with the Corporate Social Responsibility Directive (CSRD) last year.
But as it looks to grow further in its existing territories and expand into Western Europe with a continued focus on ESG, the distributor, which has a CDP rating of B - has urged vendors to be more transparent when it comes to their own emissions and the carbon footprint of their products, and share more data with their channel partners.
Under the Esprinet umbrella there are three distinct brands, all with an ESG focus – Esprinet, V-Valley (its value-add solutions arm) and Zeliatech (which focuses on environmental and energy sustainability offerings).
“Fifty-nine per cent of our fleet is now comprised of low emission vehicles, and we are aiming for 75 per cent by 2027,” she explained. “And we are committed to reducing our Scope 3 emissions even further. But at the moment they are difficult to measure, given that we depend so much on the information that our suppliers make available.
“There is a lot of data that vendors don’t currently share, so while we know what we are purchasing and what we sell, we don’t have any specific information related to each product or part,” Perfetti said.
“This in turn would help to address the behaviour and buying patterns of our customers so they can also see the ESG data on what they are buying. We have fantastic data sheets from vendors in terms of the technical aspect of the products, but we don’t have the same from the ESG aspect, and it is very much needed.”
Customers are becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability practices she said, and a large part of Esprinet’s role is helping its resellers identify the many opportunities presented by the green and circular economy.
“There are a lot of opportunities around the circular economy, so we are keen to educate and work with our customers to help them capitalise on those opportunities, rather than just see it as something that will cost them a lot of money for little or no return,” Perfetti said.
The distributor is also keen to keep DEI at the forefront of its growth plans and recently launched a ‘Generational Board’ to promote inter-generational dialogue across the company.
“We have four generations that coexist across the company,” Perfetti said. “And we will continue to invest to promote the culture of diversity, listen to the voices of all our people, and encourage collaboration between all employees to they can contribute to our growth goals.”