Nebula urges channel to collaborate on sustainability

If the channel is going to improve its sustainability position then it needs to work together and share best practice. For a competitive industry, this might not come naturally, but it makes sense to take environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidance from others further down the carbon-neutral road. Ultimately, the overall supply chain will benefit from having stronger green credentials.

In a move that should help SME firms take positive steps forward, channel player Nebula Global Services has issued its latest report ESG unwrapped: building a sustainable channel community, containing insights from a number of sustainability experts, as well as calling for the channel to be more collaborative. It explains that a competitive channel culture risks isolating sustainability efforts and limiting the benefits that can come from openly driving ESG efforts.

“It’s great that so many channel organisations have ESG strategies in place,” said Richard Eglon, CMO at Nebula. “However, we need to break free from traditional channel business rules and become more aligned, working together to form sustainable, ethical value chains in the technology sector.”

The report also highlights some of the benefits of working towards a stronger ESG strategy, including driving revenues and improving the channel’s compliance position. 

“We know it’s hard for SME companies to even know where to start with ESG,” said Eglon. “There’s so much jargon and confusion around the topic, and with no real framework set up by the government, we think there’s a need for reliable, trusted information about the best route to success. That’s why we gathered some of the key experts in the field of ESG and produced this report.”

Others in the channel agreed with Nebula’s position and echoed the call for more cooperation among partners.

Oliver Mason, managing director  at IT lifecycle solutions company KOcycle, said: “Collaboration and communication are vital when we talk about maximising the impact of an ESG strategy. Ideas that best serve the planet and the people within it should not be seen as USPs, but as knowledge that can be shared to drive awareness.”

Jenny Latimer, head of alliances and operations at Highgate IT Solutions, said that industry knowledge should be shared for the greater good: “We have a unique opportunity where competitor status can be thrown aside and we can work together to make a difference in the world, for our generation and generations to come. Now is the time for collaboration and support – what do you want your legacy to be?”

Nebula has recently started tracking its engineers’ journeys to site to monitor carbon footprints. It also has its ESG goals listed on its website for customers and competitors to peruse at their leisure.

Speaking to MicroScope recently, Eglon said Nebula was keen to improve sustainability levels across the channel. Its approach, with a decision to source-local, source-responsible and source-ethical across its global supply chain, with a focus on decarbonisation and community initiatives, was one it hoped others could follow.