Datatec has officially committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Corporate Net Zero Standard – the world’s first framework for corporate net zero target setting in line with climate science.
Through this commitment, Datatec joins the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign – the world’s largest group of companies that are actively driving the reduction in global emissions. These ambitions are aligned to the 2030 emission reduction goals of the Paris Agreement and are deeply connected to Datatec’s determination to be a force for good.
Datatec founder and CEO Jens Montanana says: “As a business that prioritises mutual prosperity, due care for the environment, and adherence to the highest standards of ethics and governance, Datatec is proud to have committed to the SBTi Corporate Net Zero Standard. We recognise that mitigating against climate change – in a way that is meaningful and sustainable – requires an accountable, responsible business strategy that is informed by science-based target setting.”
The SBTi is a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Program (CDP), the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It establishes and promotes best practices for organisations in a science-based target setting, helping develop clearly defined pathways for companies to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a more sustainable tomorrow.
By committing to the SBTi, Datatec has undertaken to reduce emissions in line with climate science and will benefit from access to guidance and valuable resources to set robust, net zero emissions targets. Datatec is also now part of Race to Zero, the UN-backed campaign which is taking immediate and rigorous action to halve carbon emissions by 2030.
“Justifiably, sustainable operations is the business’ social licence to operate. Increasingly, ICT businesses are providing the products and services that are becoming indispensable for enabling emission reductions in other sectors. As such, the ICT sector has an even more important role to play in ensuring responsible product development, enabling partnerships and sustainable business strategies that accelerate global progress towards carbon neutrality,” Montanana adds.
Over the past year, Datatec has invested significantly in expediting its sustainability outcomes and making these more impactful. The group’s expansive global footprint and its ambitious responsible business strategy – coupled with guidance from the SBTi – is expected to strengthen its position as a leading influence in the technology sector as the business aims to become carbon neutral across all its 50 operations.
In addition, the comprehensive, science-based and precise reporting requirements mean that the company’s sustainability strategy will be more precise and transparent. “We can achieve success if we take urgent action that is based on science, evidence and transparency. The STBi standards allow stakeholders to hold companies to account and facilitates collaboration that helps mobilise our resources to secure a sustainable future for everyone,” Montanana says.
Datatec expects to achieve dramatic emissions reductions, across its value chain in the coming years, in a way that delivers multiple benefits for every stakeholder. “We want to play a catalytic role in unlocking economic opportunities across our markets and remain invested in efficiently minimising our environmental impact and that across our value chains,” explains Montanana.