Westcon-Comstor reinforces its commitment to driving sustainability in the channel with new ESG lead for EMEA

New appointments part of strategy to achieve Net-Zero and enable best practice among partner community

LONDON, UK – 1st December 2022 – Westcon-Comstor, the global technology provider and specialist distributor, today announces the appointment of Sarah-Jane McGaw as ESG Lead EMEA. The hire follows Mark McLardie’s promotion to Head of ESG, and will strengthen the distributor’s ESG capabilities, help implement its five-year roadmap to decarbonisation as well as outline ways in which they can help partners reduce emissions.

The distributor’s ESG Team has increased this year from two to seven employees. Its most recent hire, McGaw, joins from EcoAct where she was an environmental consultant specialising in climate change. With over three years of experience advising businesses on environmental best practice, McGaw will help develop Westcon-Comstor’s Net-Zero plan. McLardie, who leads the team, will be accountable for coordinating the delivery and strategy of Westcon-Comstor’s ESG program. A core focus of this will be in using Westcon-Comstor’s scale and influence to promote and enable environmentally responsible technology solutions across the channel. 

The distributor’s sustainability strategy is wide-ranging and embedded in every part of the business. The company has also:

· Joined the SBTi Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaign and committed to reducing their emissions by 90% to reach net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

· Established baseline Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, using data from a range of sources to paint a clear picture of Westcon-Comstor’s carbon footprint.

· Developed a five-year roadmap towards decarbonisation.

· Launched a Sustainability Employee Resource Group (ERG) to get employees talking and thinking about sustainability.

· Set targets to achieve ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) in its own supply chain facilities in the UK and the Netherlands.

· Revamped its Environmental Policy and will soon introduce a new Supplier Code of Conduct that ensures sustainability best practices across the supply chain.

“Every business has a role to play in helping to limit the effects of climate change which is why we’re taking real steps to address our own impact on people, communities and the environment at large —and bring our partners with us,” said David Grant, CEO at Westcon-Comstor. “Creating a more sustainable business is now a part of any partner success story, this means providing high quality services while helping partners  manage their carbon emissions.  The channel is, after all, a massive collaboration—we can only tackle this issue by working with our partners to build a sustainable future.”

“Climate change is one of the most urgent threats the world is facing, and every organisation needs to play its part in reducing carbon emissions,” said Mark McLardie, Head of ESG at Westcon-Comstor. “It’s not just about reducing our own emissions; we want to encourage change and have a big impact, and this means helping our partner community as well. This is why I’m really excited to see Sarah join the team and help us build out our decarbonisation strategy for us and the channel ecosystem.” 

“The carbon cost of IT services and IT waste is only going to increase as businesses demand more data and faster services. It’s vital that we work with our suppliers to find solutions that will provide the best service while minimising our environmental impact,” said Joanne Ballard, ESG Strategy and Compliance Director at Maintel. “So many businesses—vendors, distributors, MSPs and the businesses we service— are looking for ways to reduce their climate impact, and the best way forward is collaborating with those who share our goals.”