'ESG reports will become as important as financial ones' - QBS CEO on channel's sustainability challenge
Software distributor QBS is aiming to be one of the industry’s first B Corporations. CEO Dave Stevinson offers his advice to those looking to tackle sustainability
This interview was carried out as part of CRN's Channel Net Zero Report, which is available exclusively to CRN Essential subscribers
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QBS became carbon neutral last year and recently applied to become a B Corp. What's your advice for those looking to get started on sustainability?
DS: I firmly subscribe to the view that a company's ESG report will become as important as their financial report at some stage in our lifetime. Start anywhere. If anyone needs any advice, I'm available, in company time, and outside company time to help them. Get your carbon footprint independently verified, sign up for the SBTi, and then work to become a B Corp.
Where are you currently focusing your sustainability efforts?
DS: Scope 1 and 2 aren't that relevant to us now, as we've done our absolute best to minimise these as much as we can.
As a company, we're putting all our effort into extending scope 3. We've given all of our staff carbon literacy training. And we've tried to inspire the wider community. I spend two to three hours a week - sometimes more - showing people what we've done and helping them understand the pros and cons of our journey. We believe we can get better results by helping others to improve. If we can inspire a reseller, distributor or vendor to reduce their carbon footprint, that's where we're going to get the bigger gains.
If we can inspire a reseller, distributor or vendor to reduce their carbon footprint, that's where we're going to get the bigger gains.
What we see now regarding scope 1 and 2 is a series of marginal gains. This year, we're improving our data quality, and making sure that the data we have on our carbon footprint and our processes is robust, objective, scientific and compelling. And that it's trusted data that's audited by credible bodies.
What's been the most difficult aspect of the process?
DS: Data quality has been a really difficult one for us, as we have 10 offices in different geographies. People's calculations are fraught with miscalculation, misunderstanding, erratum etc. You have to spend a disproportionate amount of time unpicking it.
When we've spoken before, you've voiced your disappointment at the lack of companies in our sector with a robust net zero plan. Do you feel that the channel is moving too slowly?
DS: I don't think we've got as much buy in as we should have across the channel. I think we can do more, and we must do it much quicker. I've not seen anybody really take B Corp seriously, other than ourselves, and potentially boxxe., I've not seen any companies get properly independently validated as net carbon zero.