'It's something all IT businesses will need to do very soon' - TD SYNNEX launches sustainability course for channel partners

The three-day programme will enable resellers to assess scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and set out a plan to take their own business towards net zero carbon

TD SYNNEX has unveiled its Net Zero Academy - a three day course that will enable partners to assess their own carbon impact and create a plan to move their business towards net zero carbon.

The programme will consist of two days spent in the classroom at TD SYNNEX's offices in Basingstoke and a further day of home or office-based learning and assessment.

The course will be accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and delivered by specialist consultancy, Arete Zero Carbon.

Sophia Haywood-Atkinson, business unit director for services in the UK at TD SYNNEX, said sustainability commitments recognised by industry standards have become "increasingly important" as customers are looking much harder at the commitment of their suppliers.

"Regulations and directives such as the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)1, and the NHS PPN 06/21 directive2, for example, are starting to come into force. Businesses that do not meet these requirements could find themselves at a significant competitive disadvantage," Haywood-Atkinson said.

While the distributor and Arete Zero Carbon already offer a full Net Zero Carbon Assessment service to partners, the new Net Zero Academy provides a more accessible option, TD SYNNEX claims.

Partners that attend the course will be able to get specialist expert support from the duo as they conduct their assessments and formulate their plans.

The course will cover the fundamentals of net zero carbon, including UK and EU policy and regulation, governance and accountability for net zero, and how to build a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory.

It will follow the established principles and definitions set out by the GHG protocol for scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions.

Partners will be instructed on how to identify and record emissions factors and activity data and how to develop a Net Zero Decarbonisation Plan with defined targets and reporting methods.

It will explain how partners can apply to be accredited under the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and what to expect when they apply. Options for decarbonisation - in the supply chain, purchasing, transport, waste, and buildings - and best practice and recommendations for carbon offsetting will be explored.

Dr Stephen Finnegan, managing director of Arete Zero Carbon, added: "There is a real need for IT channel companies to get an understanding of where they are with respect to their carbon footprint and exactly how far they need to travel to achieve net zero.

"The three-day course will give them the fundamental knowledge they need to make a good assessment and formulate a plan. It's something we believe all IT businesses will need to do very soon now. As well as being the right thing to do, it will increasingly make commercial sense."