More sustainable packaging

The new initiative that’s helping Exertis Supplies stay sustainable

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Distribution is the lifeblood of Exertis – it’s what we do best, and we pride ourselves on being able to provide top tier service to all of our partners and customers worldwide. Because so much of what we do focuses around shipping packages all over the globe, it’s important that we remain conscious of our packaging, and strive to work in the most sustainable way. That’s why the team at Exertis Supplies have been working on innovating the way packaging and transport works within their business unit, ensuring we staying planet-friendly and environmentally conscious.

Sparked by teamwork
The Exertis Supplies sustainability project began during a LEAD course, wherein a group were assigned the topic of ‘sustainability’, considering three areas of the business: packaging and onward transport, vendor assessments, and staff behaviour. This led the group to analyse how products are shipped to customers and ordered by suppliers at the Raunds site of Exertis UK. From here, Exertis Supplies Director of Commercial, Ben Appleby, found a desire to carry this initiative forward in response to the increasing prevalence of sustainability initiatives within Exertis and our customers.

Key action and new initiatives
From this initial idea, Exertis Supplies launched some key actions that would see the development of a more sustainable packaging protocol. This included an Internal Sustainability Council, created to have those members of the team who are passionate about the topic engaged and able to drive forward change. Also launched was the Exertis Supplies Sustainability Programme (ESSP), consisting of six customers and two suppliers, created to understand more about what the customer wants, and to engage some suppliers who are environmentally focused to bring along on the journey.

Since the launch of these new initiatives, Exertis Supplies have since reviewed packaging, and are in the process of performing the same exercise with a new potential supplier, in the hope of making some greater savings.

Of this review of protocol, Exertis Director of Commercial, Ben Appleby, says “we are at the very start of working with suppliers and customers to create a ‘green’ catalogue, so those dealers that are environmentally focused can sell from this specific range and remove the options of products that aren’t green.

This then falls hand-in-hand with our data work, which is to set the standard of what should be available for customers to use in terms of recycled content and recyclability of a product.

I am looking into partners for carbon offsetting at the moment, with a view to incorporate this into our offering in the near future.

Planting progress with NTT DATA Business Solutions

Collaborating to replenish our Earth’s natural resources

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Sustainability is important to us here at Exertis – and we love nothing more than when it’s a priority for our partners, too. That’s why we’re supporting NTT DATA Business Solutions in their new sustainability initiative, which sees the company plant a tree for every Consulting and SAP Managed Services day it delivers for customers each quarter.

A partnership for the future
We’ve been partnered with NTT DATA Business Solutions for the last 6 years, following us implementing SAP across our organisation. Now, with NTT DATA’s help, we’ve improved operational efficiency and optimised the product supply chain with strong SAP foundations and comprehensive SAP Managed services from NTT DATA Business Solutions. Under the new ‘One Tree Planted’ initiative, NTT DATA Business Solutions promises to plant a tree for every day that our two companies work together, with the goal of offsetting carbon emissions and contributing to the global effort to combat climate change. The trees will be planted in areas around the world where they will have the greatest impact and provide the most benefits to local communities.

Of this partnership, Barry Robinson, Head of Sustainability at Exertis UK, said “at Exertis, we believe that it’s our responsibility to do our part in protecting the planet for future generations. Our business is on its own journey to carbon neutrality, so we’re always looking for new ways to make a positive impact on the environment. Partnering with NTT DATA Business Solutions on this initiative is the perfect fit for our values and goals.”

What is One Tree Planted?
One Tree Planted is a non-profit environmental charity on a mission of global reforestation. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create a positive impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Reforestation helps to rebuild forests after fires and floods, provide jobs for social impact, and restore biodiversity. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Apprenticeship opportunities in Exertis UK

A new initiative for warehouse staff in the Burnley NDC

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At Exertis, it’s important to us to create opportunities for our people that benefit growth and career progression. In the Exertis UK Burnley location, warehouse staff are being offered a unique apprenticeship opportunity thanks to the scheme launched by newly appointed Apprenticeship Co-ordinator Ola Kambul.

Getting started
In April 2022, Ola Kambul – former Warehouse Operative at the Burnley Exertis UK National Distribution Centre (NDC) – accepted her new role as an Apprenticeship Co-ordinator. Her vision in taking on this role was to give warehouse employees the chance to gain knowledge and progress their careers in ways they may not previously have had access to.

From June 2022, Ola began working to organise the apprenticeship programme, working alongside Charlotte James, Burnley’s Operations Training & Development Manager. According to Ola, this involved “building teaching and learning content for the five different apprenticeship units, organising and getting involved with subject matter experts to provide training, creating learning materials, and building the brand-new warehouse training room.”

By September, the apprenticeship programme was ready to launch and began to accept applications from interested members of the warehouse staff. Initially, Ola was surprised and delighted to find that there were a total of 20 applicants: a far larger number than foreseen. In the interest of giving Burnley warehouse employees an opportunity to grow, all applicants were given a space on the course.

Picnic perfect

The Exertis project that’s caring for mental health and the environment

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While maintaining and improving our environment is an important goal within our sustainability mission, it’s also equally important for us to keep the mental health of our employees in the forefront of our discussions about making our business a better place to work. The team at Exertis’ Burnley office have successfully combined these two initiatives in the form of Project Picnic – the mental health-positive space that’s doing good for the planet, too.

What is Project Picnic?
The sun shines brightly through the leaves of overhead trees. The wind sifts delicately through each leaf and blade of grass. Between the newly-installed wooden picnic tables winds a hand-dug path that connects each bench, punctuated by freshly planted trees that sway softly in the cool afternoon air. The peaceful scene looks like it’s pulled straight from a book – but this is the reality of the mental health and environment positive space created by the team at the Exertis Burnley office as part of Project Picnic.

Project Picnic was created to offer Burnley Exertis employees an area outside of the office where they can relax, eat lunch, socialise, and take some time away from the stress and busy atmosphere of work. The idea was born when Facilities Manager Karl Fleming noted that those employees who smoked often had a place to congregate to take short breaks and relax, but non-smokers did not.

Branching out with Lenovo

Exertis joins forces with Lenovo to plant 1000 new trees

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As DCC Group strives to strengthen our sustainability protocols and positive impact on the environment, it’s important to us that all the businesses within our group share the same goals. Beyond this, we also want to inspire our customers and vendor partners to consider how they can adapt to benefit the planet. That’s why Exertis has teamed up with Lenovo to plant 1000 new trees, with the aim of progressing both business’ sustainability plans. All while making our planet a cleaner and greener place.

More than just great tech
Lenovo is a leading technology brand that focuses on offering their customers unbeatable value within their high-quality product ranges. And in recent years, they’ve been “thinking smarter” when it comes to sustainability and taking steps to positively impact both the environment and society. Lenovo has adapted their daily operations and processes to minimise their overall greenhouse gas emissions, based on targets set by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This means that the changes Lenovo are making – such as the increased use of recycled and recyclable materials – are scientifically proven to limit global temperature increase in an effort to battle climate change. All of this while still producing the same top quality, industry-leading tech that Lenovo and Exertis customers and employees alike have come to enjoy and rely on.

Planting a better future
Although Lenovo’s new ERG targets are set to gradually improve the environment and slow climate change, they wanted to take their sustainability journey to a new level by making a more immediate difference. That’s why they reached out to Exertis for our help in planting 1000 new trees. The idea for this initiative was formed around the fact that just one tree can offset approximately 0.3t of CO2 – so with 1000 trees, we’re one big step closer to combatting climate change and protecting our planet from harm. Additionally, the planting of these new trees will help to reverse deforestation and make the Earth overall healthier and more nourished. When it comes to boosting sustainability, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Plant-per-click
With Exertis’ help in the form of a £1000 donation, Lenovo has set up a clever and innovative system that gives customers the power to plant trees across the world in just one click. For even more flexibility, this can be done in bulk through a single interaction or via a subscription. This new Exertis-funded scheme is working in addition to the existing Lenovo ‘Think Trade-in’ project, wherein the company has vowed to plant one new tree per used Lenovo device their customers trade-in to them. ‘Think Trade-in’ has seen the planting of 2,200 trees so far. And here at DCC, we’re optimistic that, paired with Exertis’ dedication to sustainability, the number of new trees planted globally through our collaborative initiative will meet and surpass those numbers.

The future of fuel

Exertis Almo works with Brightmark on a new biofuel initiative

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As part of DCC’s sustainability journey, the Exertis Almo team - located in New York - began looking for a new way to fuel their office while reducing their environmental impact. The team’s initial concern was to find a green alternative that was cost-efficient and could keep up with the demands of the business. Alongside exploring options such as solar and wind-powered energy, the North American team soon learned about biogas – the process of converting naturally occurring gases such as methane into energy – and decided that this was the right move for them. Once they agreed that biogas ticked all of their boxes, they reached out to their energy broker to connect them with a suitable biogas provider.

Working with Brightmark
Brightmark collaborates with farms across Western New York to convert waste into a green fuel alternative. By partnering with Brightmark, the Exertis Almo office now benefits from locally-sourced biogas that can singlehandedly power their entire facility, without any change to the level of energy efficiency, yet without needing to burn fossil fuels extracted from the ground – leading to a significant drop in negative environmental impact. This is made possible by the office’s close proximity to the dairy farms involved in the initiative, as transporting biogas can be difficult on a wide scale, making this partnership an especially unique beneficial opportunity for those in the Exertis Almo office.

How it happens
The production of energy sourced from biogas is a relatively straightforward process. Brightmark is estimated to process around 265,000 gallons of dairy manure daily, from which methane gas is extracted to be converted into renewable natural gas that is then collected for use as biogas and transported to the nearby Exertis Almo office as an energy source for essential functions, such as providing heating. Biogas is just one part of Exertis Almo's wider renewable energy transition, with solar arrays on 3 of their sites yielding energy both for self-consumption and to export to the grid.

Benefits of biogas
Finding a more sustainable way to power our business reduces our environmental impact, helping us to run our operations in a more green and less harmful way. On its own, Brightmark’s project is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the manure processed at Brightmark’s facilities by 117,787 tonnes per year.

Fuelling a cleaner planet

How Exertis UK is making more sustainable fuel choices across the business

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When creating a more sustainable workplace, fuel is an area with a lot of potential for positive change. Across several Exertis UK offices, the company has been exploring alternative fuel options in an effort to reduce its negative impact on the environment.

Driving change with EVs
One of the ways Exertis UK has been combatting the use of harmful fuels, such as petrol and diesel, is with the gradual switch of company fleet cars to electric vehicles (EVs). As of 18 months ago at the Basingstoke Exertis office, employees wishing to borrow a car from the company can now experience driving an EV, including using one of the many newly installed EV charging points onsite.

With the success of EVs at the Basingstoke office, the team soon expanded the reach of EVs to four other offices: the NDC, Stoke, Harlow, and Raunds. This involved the installation of EV charging points at these sites. At present, 45% of all fleet cars offered by Exertis UK are EVs. And as more sites are fitted with the required tools to enable EV use, Exertis UK is beginning to set its sights on larger scale plans, such as exclusively purchasing EVs for company cars in the future, and slowly cycling petrol and diesel cars entirely out of use. As this project began in September 2021, Exertis predicts that the transition to using only EVs could be complete as soon as September 2025.

The switch to EVs is a big step, and the team at Exertis are doing everything they can to make this transition as smooth as possible. While the ultimate goal is to switch entirely to the use of EVs by 2025, some allowances have been made for those who cannot use an EV charger at home. In these instances, Hybrid cars have been introduced as a mid-way point that is still a better alternative for the planet than classic petrol or diesel cars. Furthermore, Exertis has also begun to offer employees with a car allowance the option to switch to EVs and have received an overwhelmingly positive response thus far.

A brighter future with solar energy
Solar energy, like wind power and biofuel, is a naturally occurring alternative to fossil fuels that can be used to reduce emissions produced by our daily operations without losing any productivity. Initially introduced by Logistics Project Manager Barry Robinson for the NDC, the solar panels that have been installed generate electricity directly from sunlight, and distribute power throughout the office while reducing, on average, the same amount of CO2 production as is neutralised by planting one tree per day.

The UK is infamous for unpredictable weather. The idea of installing solar panels to create energy may strike some as a bit of a gamble. But Barry Robinson and his team have already accounted for this, and have plans in place to ensure that the business’ energy goals are being met. In the best-case scenario, on those increasingly common sunny days in the summer months, there is a potential for an average peak of 80% of all the NDC’s power to be supplied by these solar panels. Meanwhile, in the winter months when there is considerably less sun, there is still the potential for an average peak of 40% of the NDC’s power to be generated from the use of solar panels.

While sustainability is at the heart of the solar panel project, there is a secondary financial gain for the company. As of right now, the solar panel project has brought with it a c.50% reduction in monthly energy costs. Additionally, Exertis have been able to offload excess energy produced by the panels that is not needed by the office by selling it back to the National Grid. So not only does the company benefit financially, but we are also providing several others access to energy via the Grid, all produced sustainably by solar panels.

To create total transparency for Exertis employees about the success of this project, the team have created a portal that displays all the relevant information about the solar panels, how much energy they’re producing, and how many planted trees this is equivalent to. So employees are not only experiencing the benefits of this power source in their day-to-day activities, but they can also get a glance at all the good this project is doing for the environment.

Meet your new UK Health, Safety, Environmental, and Facilities team

New UK group dedicated to positive change for our people and the world

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Across Exertis, there’s been considerable drive for positive change, targeting areas such as sustainability, D&I, and overall employee satisfaction. Ensuring our business is championing benefits for its people, communities, and the planet is important to Exertis. That’s why we’re proud to announce the new Exertis UK Health, Safety, Environmental, and Facilities team.

Driving a better workplace
The role of the new team is to manage plans and strategies around sustainability, facility maintenance, and employee health and wellbeing at work. Newly-appointed Head of Sustainability, Barry Robinson, says of this initiative, “I am absolutely delighted to be heading up the Exertis UK Health, Safety, Environmental, and Facilities team. It’s important to me that sustainability is engrained in how we run our business, and I believe the key to doing this is by retaining and attracting talented people and keeping them safe in the workplace.

What’s changed?
The creation of the new team has resulted in several changes, allowing members more flexibility to support Exertis’ sustainability mission, and to focus on bettering the workplace for all. The new Head of Sustainability, Barry Robinson, comes into the job from his previous role as Operational GPO at Burnley Bridge. The team also sees Sion Wineyard become Chief Logistics Officer, and Marcin Radymski moving into the role of UK Health & Safety Manager, from his previous position as Health, Safety, and Facilities Manager at Elland.

Working closely with Barry Robinson, is Emma Boniface who transitions from her role as Operations Manager at the NDC in Burnley to step in as Sustainability Manager. Working with Barry and the rest of the team, Emma will be a driving force in developing Exertis’ strategy around sustainability, and ensuring we continue to do our very best to work in a way that is as beneficial to the environment, our people, and our local communities as possible. Of her new role, Emma says,

“I am excited to be part of the Exertis UK Health, Safety, Environmental, and Facilities team, and ensuring we make people, planet, and prosperity a major consideration in everything we do. I’m enjoying collaborating with other entities within the DCC Group and learning about their sustainability journeys, all while sharing some of the great work Exertis has done so far, as well as our future goals. I look forward to working more closely with these companies, along with local businesses and charities, as I believe that sustainability includes how we can positively impact and support our local communities.”

The role of Facilities Manager is shared between Karl Fleming in the North of England, and Debbie Pompei in the South. Karl comes to this role with a history of Facilities Management skills, providing reliable assistance to all in the Burnley office. Debbie, based in the Basingstoke office, has been in-role since her introduction to Exertis in February and brings a wealth of private- and public-sector Facilities Management skills with her.

With the introduction of the new Health, Safety, Environmental, and Facilities team, we enable our business to be best placed to drive meaningful, consistent change towards a better workplace. This brings a wealth of benefits to our people, our local communities, and our planet. The work now being done by the team is just the beginning.

Sustainability begins at home

Meet MTR – our recycling-based business that’s ahead of the sustainability game

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As part of our sustainability journey, we at Exertis are talking a lot about how we can modify our daily operations to be better for our people and the planet. One topic that cannot be overstated is the benefit of recycling. Our team at MTR are masters of recycling tech to give it a second life, while helping the environment and preventing e-waste at the same time.

Who is MTR?
MTR was established in 2011 and is a part of Exertis UK. Its main purpose is to deliver market-leading refurbishment, repair and trade-in services. Working with key brands such as Samsung, Huawei, and Apple, MTR is dedicated to refurbishing second hand and used tech to the highest possible standard. This reduces the number of devices that are thrown away, combatting e-waste, as well as stopping used devices from rotting in landfills – which wastes precious metals and materials. In fact, of all the devices MTR receive, only 1% are deemed unfixable and are disposed of. MTR is thought to have recycled around 500 tons of mobile phones so far.

The MTR ecosystem
The MTR ecosystem is run and managed through its internal bespoke management system, Halo. This controls all the information flowing through MTR, and acts as an inventory, finance, sales, and shipping system. All devices processed through MTR go through this process, which is designed to ensure that tech is refurbished to the highest possible quality, ready to be sold on to the customer.

Market-leading partnerships
As part of its work refurbishing and re-selling devices for a more sustainable second life, MTR gets the opportunity to work with a wide range of brands. This includes a partnership with Samsung, with MTR performing Samsung-accredited repairs on their devices. This consists of a 110-seat electrostatic discharge compliant (ESD) workshop that’s fully audited and accredited by Samsung, all technicians having completed Samsung training to full accreditation. Official OEM replacement parts are ordered directly from Samsung, with a stock of main components held onsite.

About its partnership with MTR, Gareth Hobson, Head of Business Operations at Samsung UK Customer Experience, said, “Right throughout their organisation, MTR represents Samsung UK with professionalism, courtesy, and loyalty to our brand and values.”

MTR also work with devices from other top brands such as Apple and Huawei, and utilise popular secondary sales channels like Amazon, GiffGaff, and eBay. They also have their own DTC channels, 4gadgets and Aznu, that specialise in the resale of refurbished mobile phones and other devices.

What MTR customers get
MTR provides its customers with an end-to-end solution, with every process along the way as sustainable and efficient as possible. This includes free returns, postage, and shipping, the acceptance of damaged devices for refurbishment, warranty cover, a data deletion process, and – importantly – the reuse and recycle of every device they receive.

On top of all this, customers who purchase tech that has been through MTR’s rigorous testing and refurbishment protocol can rest assured they will be getting a device that is the best possible quality. This includes its Samsung-accredited in-house OEM repair centre, certified data wipe, device destruction, battery diagnostics and replacement, FRP/Google Lock removal, and more.

Meaningful connections
Throughout its operations, MTR has made close partnerships and received several accreditations that confirm its commitment to high quality and sustainability. These include an Environmental Management System certification, an Environment Agency registration, and an SSE Asset Disposal & Information accreditation, to name a few. Furthermore, MTR has also partnered with the Woodland Trust, giving the Trust a £20k donation to symbolise its dedication to the environment, and supporting everything the Woodland Trust does to keep the planet green.

Exertis and Dell: a sustainable partnership

Two businesses collaborate to commit to a more sustainable way of working

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As part of Exertis’ sustainability journey, we encourage the vendors we work with to make necessary changes to benefit the environment. Exertis UK has partnered with Dell to drive attention to the changes both businesses are enacting to promote sustainability across operations and product lines.

Working together
To highlight the partnership between Dell and Exertis, both businesses hosted a webinar to describe the actions we’re taking for sustainability. In a Channel first, guest speakers Angela Cross (Dell UK Technologies Director in Datacentre Solutions) and Emma Boniface (Sustainability Manager at Exertis UK) gave a breakdown of what our businesses are doing to become more sustainable, sharing key milestones and future plans. The webinar outlined how our businesses are not only well-matched in our sustainability focus, but how our partnership can drive further success.

Dell’s sustainability mission
Over the past decade, computer manufacturer Dell has been working to ensure it creates high-quality, reliable products that incorporate sustainable designs and materials, while also adapting packaging to reduce waste and drive innovation through recycled and renewable alternatives. By applying these changes, Dell has been able to reduce product energy intensity by 76% since 2013.

Device efficiency
As a globally-acclaimed technology distributor, it’s important for us at Exertis to ensure the products we’re promoting to our customers reflect our values. That’s why we’re proud of the steps Dell has taken to create a product line that’s environmentally responsible, from materials to packaging and transit. For example, Dell’s Precision Workstations feature an industry-leading sustainable design, and were the first workstations to use reclaimed carbon fibre and renewable bioplastic. Meanwhile, the Dell OptiPlex offers the most recycled material in the Dell commercial portfolio, with up to 65% recycled material – which is similar to the Dell Thin Client range, featuring products with 65% recycled plastic. Dell Monitors provide a perfect example of Dell’s progress in packaging, with all of them being shipped in 100% recyclable corrugate packaging.

Sustainable infrastructure
Dell’s infrastructure products feature three key areas of innovation: energy efficiency; thermals and cooling; and infrastructure consolidation. The first sees Dell making sure its technology is more efficient and less intensive, to reduce energy waste. The thermals and cooling focus sees Dell engineering new solutions for reducing heat generated by devices, to avoid energy being wasted cooling the datacentre. The third key area is focused on products being made denser – simplifying data storage to reduce Dell’s physical and carbon footprint in the datacentre.

Refresh and recycle
One of the Dell initiatives that Exertis UK is most excited to support is its Tech Refresh & Recycle Programme. This allows Dell customers to ensure its organisation is environmentally sustainable by modernising its IT. Designed to help customers transform their infrastructure with new solutions built to handle modern IT demands, the programme helps users increase their data growth and improve sales, all whilst reducing environmental impact.

When devices reach the end of their lifecycle, consumers can return them to Dell, who then ensure they are correctly and responsibly disposed of. Dell aims to retain as many valuable materials from devices as possible to re-use in future Dell products. Through this initiative, Dell has seen 26% of returned gear put towards manufacturing refurbishment – a sustainable solution that also helps reduce costs for customers.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with TES-AMM

Exertis are proud to partner with global information asset disposition leader TES-AMM

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Centralising your ITAD program for a more sustainable future
TES-AMM is a global information asset disposition leader, with facilities in 20 countries, serving global businesses to improve their carbon footprint. It recycles over 180 million kilograms of assets annually and has a 98% material re-use rate. Exertis is partnered with TES-AMM to provide a sustainable future to the channel, by providing our partners with a full technology recycling life-cycle.

WEEE disposal, once a standard in disposal of equipment, has now been replaced by asset recycling. Exertis is proud of the continual recycling we do to ensure equipment is reused or recycled in an environmental friendly manner, making sure we are doing our part to create a greener future.

By working with TES-AMM, Exertis can offer the channel these services and ensure we are building a greener future for our planet, working with services such as:

• Dedicated TES Transportation/Secure Transport
• On-Site Data Sanitisation
• Verified Manifest Reporting
• Valuation of Equipment
• Secure Data Erasure/Certification of Erasure

Instead of costing the customer – as is standard – Information Technology Asset Disposition (ITAD) has the potential to give value back by assessing all assets for recycling or reuse.

How does ITAD work?