Focus Group latest VAR to take aim at carbon neutrality

Comms specialist will spend next six auditing emissions

Focus Group has become the latest CRN Top VAR to announce carbon neutrality ambitions after inking a partnership with Auditel.

The comms specialist said it will spend the next six months conducting a detailed audit of its GHG emissions within its business before kicking off a programme to manage what it has measured.

This will include the scope 3 emissions that fall outside its direct control, the West Sussex-based Cisco and Gamma partner said.

Computacenter and Softcat are among the UK's top IT solutions providers to move recently to set comprehensive net zero goals, with CRN tracking the carbon-cutting exploits of 25 leading UK channel businesses in our recent Net Zero Channel Report.

Focus' announcement follows a period of frenetic growth for the Bowmark Capital-backed outfit, whose new CEO Barney Taylor told CRN in October that the company will continue to be "fiercely acquisitive" under his leadership.

In December, Focus handed shares to 185 of its employees as it revealed that its 2021 revenues were set to jump from £79m to £116m.

"As a group we have already done so much to try and minimise our impact on the planet. It's great to now have a framework to recognise that work and drive even more effort towards becoming carbon neutral," said Focus Group co-founder and director, Ralph Gilbert.

"We recognise that our day-to-day operational activities and those of our customers have some impact on the environment. By partnering with Auditel we are making a clear statement of intent to reduce our own carbon footprint in a credible, meaningful, and measured way and to provide our customers with sustainability solutions that will benefit everyone."

Rob Allison, carbon solutions director at Auditel, added: "We are delighted to be working with Focus Group, a genuine champion of sustainability in the IT, telecoms and connectivity sector. We look forward to working with the team and their supply chain to help them achieve an industry recognised standard of carbon neutrality."