HP claims UK partners embracing Amplify Impact programme

Some 160 UK partner attendees from across UK&I channel joined kick-off call on HP's sustainable partner scheme yesterday, channel boss Neil Sawyer tells CRN

HP's UK channel boss Neil Sawyer claims industry momentum is gathering behind sustainability after 160 partner attendees joined its Amplify Impact UK&I kick-off call yesterday.

The UK was last month picked as one of 19 pilot countries for Amplify Impact, an extension to HP's recently launched Amplify partner programme.

The ‘first of its kind' voluntary scheme will assess and train partners on how they can drive sustainability in their own companies and with customers. It focuses on the three pillars outlined in HP's own sustainable strategy, namely people, planet and community, with partners awarded via an annual certification and award programme.

HP hopes 50 per cent of its Amplify partners will have signed up to it by 2025.

Talking to CRN, Sawyer revealed that 160 partner attendees from across the UK&I channel joined yesterday's session.

"It just shows the extent to which we are able to accelerate this message in the UK and Ireland," he said.

"It's great to have them looking at the pledge and committing to supporting us in those three key areas of planet, people and community."

The business case for partners to become more sustainable is compelling, Sawyer said, pointing to figures suggesting that 45 per cent of FTSE companies are now committed to net zero but that only 16 per cent have a robust strategy in place to meet that goal.

"Any reseller that is working with larger businesses and publicly funded entities in the UK has to look at the impact of sustainability, and the importance of it, and see how it can contribute towards their business," he said.

Although the drive towards a net zero, circular economy is a key component of Amplify Impact, the scheme also looks at issues such as addressing the digital divide, Sawyer (pictured) stressed.

"Whether it's Stone Computers, CCS Media, Computacenter, SCC, Softcat, XMA, for all the partners I've spoken to in the last week when we speak about Amplify Impact we talk about the positive effects it will have not only on the channel, but also the people who work within the channel partners," Sawyer said.

"It's extremely empowering for our partners to bring that cause to life through community events, activities and contributions to making a sustainable environment."

James Hardy, managing director at CCS Media, said: "If you judge the enthusiasm that the programme has by the number of partners that were in that session yesterday, which was significant, that gives the mood throughout the channel for the programme. It's the right programme at the right time. All organisations within the value chain are enthusiastically approaching sustainability. We have leadership in the business that are focused on environmental sustainability and giving them part of a channel programme to support them adds a lot of substance to the work that we do beyond buying and selling products from manufacturers."