Umbraco provides update on sustainability progress
CMS player issues annual Impact Report to cover progress made on carbon emissions, diversity and efforts to work with partners to save planet
Content management system player Umbraco has shared its latest update on its sustainability progress.
The firm’s second annual Impact report covers its activities in terms of people, society and planet.
Given its position as a CMS player, Umbraco has helped develop websites – more than a million in the past decade – and works with an open source community that includes more than 250,000 software contributors and 1,500 digital agency partners building offerings on the platform.
Umbraco CEO Kim Sneum-Madsen said the firm understood its position in the ecosystem and the responsibility to improve its sustainability position. “We recognise our responsibility to help our community to make websites more energy-efficient and sustainable,” he said.
“Our strategy is to create an inclusive community and workplace where diversity is celebrated and well-being is prioritised, to ensure that Umbraco continues to provide a nurturing, gender-balanced environment that empowers all employees to contribute to their full potential.”
The latest Impact report details how the firm is working with the community, partners and customers to improve sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
Umbraco started calculating its carbon footprint in 2022, and last year applied the Greenhouse Gas Corporate Standard to improve accuracy when calculating Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. The largest sources of emissions have been identified, and steps are being taken to improve efficiency.
Carbon Neutral Workforce initiative
The report also detailed the ambitions of the Carbon Neutral Workforce initiative that was introduced a year ago to offset each staffer’s footprint, with a target to reduce emissions by 10% per employee.
Last year also saw the business establish a Community Sustainability Team, which includes a number of platinum partners, and was tasked with developing and sharing best practices with developers, designers, business decision-makers and customers.
Members of the sustainability team include James Hobbs, head of engineering at Umbraco Platinum Partner Great State; Rick Butterfield, development team lead at fellow Platinum Partner, Nexer Digital; Andy Eva-Dale from Platinum Partner, Tangent; and Amy Czuba, account director, also at Nexer Digital.
“Our digital agency partners are increasingly seeing carbon-conscious web development included within client briefs as organisations prepare to comply with new legislation requiring disclosure of sustainable strategies across the value chain,” said Sneum-Madsen. “We are committed to implementing sustainable products and business practices and supporting our partners, clients and community in their efforts to reduce CO2.”
The firm regularly meets with members of its community to try to promote sustainability, as well as take steps to increase diversity.
The Impact report covers activities such as its Coding Classes and Codegarden events to encourage more young and female participation in the industry.
Sneum-Madsen said the firm recognised the benefits of playing a positive role in both the industry and society.
“We also know that by supporting a thriving, diverse, open-source community, we can collectively and creatively tackle the wider issues affecting our industry, and enable more sustainable business practices that benefit people, communities and the planet,” he said. “We will continue to strive for a positive impact that provides a brighter future for generations to come.”
