← our policies

We put people and our planet alongside profit.

This policy describes our commitments and actions towards being a socially and environmentally responsible business, and having a positive impact in the world.

This policy was last reviewed on 12 December 2022.

Introduction

Business has a key role to play in protecting our planet and its people, and has the power to bring about positive change. We think it’s important to act now to live more harmoniously with this planet and with each other.

We do our best to work towards greater sustainability in everything we do. We have a strong drive to be a responsible business, and an important part of that is treading lightly on our planet and giving back to nature. We have declared a climate and nature emergency and have made commitments to hold ourselves accountable to meaningful and positive impact.

Our commitments

We have made commitments to:

  • Be responsible for our actions and their impact
  • Build resilience to sustain our business through times of change
  • Regenerate our planet to foster a healthier future for all

As members of communities such as B Corp, 1% for the Planet, the Future Leap Network and ClimateAction.tech, we are always learning and finding new ways to improve on the sustainability of the work we do and how we do it.

Climate positive

Our activities take energy. The energy we use results in emissions somewhere along the line, but we do everything we can to limit those emissions. We're cutting out waste, reducing our energy demands, and using renewable energy sources.

We currently do this in the following ways:

  1. Primarily working remotely, actively avoiding flying, and preferring to travel by land
  2. Buying second hand equipment where possible and preferring equipment that is more sustainable and ethical
  3. Using 100% renewable energy in the office, and avoiding nuclear power if possible
  4. Ensuring our website and its content is relevant and as efficient as possible
  5. Using green web hosting powered by 100% renewable energy and green infrastructure
  6. Avoiding printing and using certified and responsibly sourced recycled paper when we do

The emissions that we do make, we offset. But we do more than that… we don't put back; we give back more than we take. Or to put it another way: we don’t just offset; we regenerate. That means we’re not simply making up for what we take—we want to actively help regenerate the climate and our natural world.

We currently do this in the following ways:

  1. As a member of 1% for the Planet, we give 1% of our revenue to non-profits that are working to protect our planet, and volunteer time with them
  2. We plant trees and fund some of the world’s best climate solutions with Ecologi
  3. We use Ecosia to search the Web, planting trees and investing in green projects with every search, all powered by 100% renewable energy

We made the SME Climate Commitment in January 2022, committing to halve our greenhouse gas emissions and reach net zero emissions before 2030. We will disclose our progress every year in our annual impact report, which includes details of both our positive and negative impact on the climate.

Nature positive

It’s not just climate that’s in a state of emergency; our natural world is increasingly under threat as well. We are currently seeing a rapid loss of biodiversity, and this is happening at a rate thousands of times faster than it would if humans were not around. We want our work to help regenerate our natural world.

We currently do this in the following ways:

  1. We support Ecologi to help build more diverse ecosystems and avoid deforestation and destruction of habitats
  2. We use Ecotalk as our mobile phone provider, which uses its profits to buy land to give back to nature and creating new habitats for bees and other wildlife

People positive

We believe in promoting a healthy and fair society for everyone around the world. When we work with others, we strive to do so in a way that is ethical and fair.

We currently do this in the following ways:

  1. Helping create a digital world that’s accessible to Disabled people
  2. Creating a welcoming and safe work environment, and treating people with fairness and respect in our working relationships (see Belonging, dignity and justice)
  3. Providing some free consultancy and training to non-profit organisations
  4. Educating about and advocating for accessibility and sustainability in the digital world

Discover more about our commitment to working in a way that’s ethical and fair in our business ethics policy.

Finance

Businesses can be so much more than a means to make money; they can be a force for good in the world. While business models need to sustain a business, they also need to sustain its workers and the environment it works within—our planet, which sustains all life.

  • In 2019, we moved our bank accounts away from the big banks to those with more ethical and sustainable conduct.
  • In 2020, we moved our pensions into ethical funds.
  • In 2022, we made a commitment to no longer work with the big banks that continue to invest billions in energy systems that destroy our planet.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

We are also developing methods of monitoring our own business activities so that we can evaluate our impact and make changes. The information we gather is used to minimise waste and any negative effects that our business activities may have, while promoting positive initiatives, such as using renewable energy, reuse and recycling.

We actively research the impact that our clients and suppliers have on the environment and society. By evaluating the impact of our work and supply chain, we can make informed choices and changes that foster a more positive future.

Our first environmental and social impact report is due to be published later this year.

A group of people with diverse needs and backgrounds