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Brother's Phil Jones: 'Green credentials are now a critical requirement for businesses'

The UK MD talks to CRN on why sustainability is now a business imperative and how going green can help resellers’ frustrations with disrupted supply chains

Sustainability credentials are no longer a "nice to have" badge, but rather are now critical for channel companies, particularly those working with the public sector, according to Brother UK's Phil Jones.

The print vendor recently found itself on the FTSE4Good Index, which measures the performance of companies demonstrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) practice.

Badges like these are demonstrative not only of a company's commitment to its sustainability efforts but of knowing what customers want, the UK boss told CRN.

"There's no doubt - certainly in public sector procurement and also enterprise-level procurement - that items like these are becoming commercially important," he explained.

"For example, we know that more government-based procurement is now giving a higher weighting when it comes to contract awards for companies that can demonstrate that they are very much operating to ethical environmental and sustainable goals.

"For some, they might say these things are badges to have and nice things to write in CSR reports, but I believe they are now becoming something of demonstrable commercial value. It's nice to do good, but it's even better when doing good also can bring you commercial benefits."

Jones believes that the channel will see demand for refurbished products in the coming months "flourish" as local lockdowns and social distancing measures in factories around the world continue to slow supply chains but added that customers will expect a high-level finish to recycled devices.

"These supply chain issues can only lead to second sourcing of some kind where people are saying ‘Well, if we can't buy new, what can we buy?' and I think there's probably going to be a growing market there for refurbished items," he added.

"The people requiring those devices want a high-level refurbish with good manufacturer warranties, and they want to have confidence in the refurbishing procedure and that it's not just had a little bit of compressed air sprayed on it and a wipe over. They want confidence that it's 'as good as new'."

Jones added that the channel is in for a "rocky year" as manufacturers adapt to safety measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This means less people at one time in a building, slowed down shipping and factories closing suddenly due to local lockdowns.

"We're going to have lots of coughs and splutters as the economy tries to kick start itself. But for the channel, its biggest issue is going to be supply chain and inventory; we're going to see demand begin to come back as businesses open again and become more active," he said.

"We've got a huge number of back orders at the moment; it's there, but I can't supply it and getting clarity on when I can isn't so easy because we've got these highly integrated global supply chains.

"So I think it is going to be a little bit of a rocky year for the channel, where demand might be there but supply side is probably going to be one of the biggest frustrations."