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How Arc Systems Stays Sustainable and Eco-Friendly

We’re living in an era where climate change is high on the agenda, for governments, businesses and individuals alike. Many private companies have environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies that guide their efforts to reuse, recycle, cut emissions and generally behave more sustainably, and Arc is no different. 

Fossil fuels and mass production are undoubtedly the biggest contributors to climate change, but the tech industry is a key part of the conversation too. The digital revolution, while transformative, has come with its own set of environmental challenges, particularly through the emissions associated with data centres and the manufacturing of IT hardware. According to the International Energy Agency, data centres globally account for nearly 1% of the world’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. While growth in emissions has been slow since 2010 thanks to the IT sector using green energy, and general improvements energy efficiency, it needs to be halved by 2030 to meet global net-zero targets. 

As a supplier of managed IT services, we know Arc will be counted in your business’s Scope 3 emissions – those are emissions that you cannot directly control, as they come from third parties associated with your business. We take our responsibilities seriously, though, and aim to be part of the solution when it comes to lowering carbon emissions in the IT sector. If your firm is looking to contract a trusted and secure managed service provider that won’t impact your own emissions targets, Arc can fulfil that requirement. These are the actions we take to ensure we operate sustainably.

Eco Friendly IT Company

 

Our own data centre

We own and manage our own data centre, so we know what its associated emissions are. We have made steps to increase its energy efficiency by investigating a switch to solar power, and making hardware upgrades to reduce the emissions associated with cooling the data centre. This is a fairly unusual proposition in the industry and gives us much greater control over its operation and efficiency. Many MSPs outsource data centres and storage to much larger companies that may have greater emissions simply due to their size. 

 

Recycling and reusing equipment

If you need to upgrade your hardware, we can help you dispose of your old computers in a sustainable manner. Working with carefully chosen recycling partners, we can pass your old equipment on to be reused and recycled where possible. Components like motors and motherboards can be difficult to dispose of in their existing form, but some elements – like copper on a circuit board – are reusable, and will be removed to be repurposed. If an entire machine is in working order, our partner will find it a new home. We’ve helped clients donate computers to developing countries instead of usable computers ending up in landfill. All drives and data are wiped and reformatted beforehand, and we take care of the admin and logistics for you. 

 

Sustainable suppliers

In order to keep our own Scope 3 emissions low, we ensure that the partners we work with have thorough ESG strategies in place. For example, one of our core suppliers, HP, has a robust climate strategy that includes goals to reduce their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 65% by 2025. They have been commended for their transparency and action by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).

 

Our ESG strategy

In addition to monitoring our Scope 3 emissions and working with approved partners with good sustainability credentials, we keep a close eye on what we’re doing internally, as well. Our Environmental Policy governs daily best practice such as conserving heat, water and electricity in the workplace, as well as our commitment to ensuring our activities do not have adverse environmental impacts. For example, as stated in the policy, we will carry out, or require any other employer involved, to undertake a suitable form of environmental monitoring. This will be to determine that the work activities will not give rise to any level of atmospheric pollution.

The policy also declares our intent to recycle and reuse packaging wherever possible, and to plan activities with waste reduction in mind. Controlled and hazardous waste such as internal components from computers is handled in line with strict procedures, not only at our own site, but at client premises too. When transporting goods and equipment to other locations, we plan this carefully to reduce the need for road transport and make the least number of trips possible. 

When you work with us, you can rest assured that your Scope 3 emissions will not be unduly increased. Book a call with us today to find out what we can do for your business.