Exclusive: Greenbox on achieving carbon neutrality for enhanced ESG outcomes

As technology life-cycle trends continue to change, it is now more critical than ever that companies use sustainable resources and solutions to enhance their ESG outcomes.

A focus on carbon neutrality has played a significant role in driving many favourable outcomes over the years, and a fantastic example of a company that has proven its ESG excellence in this area is Greenbox.

Founded 22 years ago, Greenbox provides complete IT life-cycle solutions, from new IT asset deployments for large corporates, government and tertiary institutions, through to the management of end-of-life technology assets in a best practice safe, secure and sustainable way.

IT deployment and end-of-life processes can be challenging tasks in today's climate and achieving them securely and with full compliance takes real expertise. 

Greenbox are sustainability technology leaders whose facilities are all certified to the peak global standard ("R2 via Sustainable Electronics Recycling International"), ensuring the ultimate peace of mind across all types or requirements.

Customers are also dealing with a company that has diverted 65 million kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere and away from landfills around the world by either recycling, refurbishing or reusing electronic assets over the years.

"Although Greenbox Group was already a sustainability leader, we felt that more could be done," says Ross Thompson, CEO of Greenbox.

"ESG reporting is becoming more and more prevalent within large organisations, and we identified this early on. The facts about climate change are clear and available for everyone to see, and we want to leave the planet in a better place for future generations to enjoy."

Thompson highlights that Greenbox customers and partners receive significant benefits that will enhance both their operations and reporting moving forward.

"In addition to the positive environmental and societal benefits of being carbon neutral, Greenbox Group is now Australia's first IT Asset Management Company to obtain this status.

"This not only means that we are a best practice market leader in a new category, but our new and future customers and partners benefit from using our carbon neutral ICT life-cycle services, because we have a neutral impact on their increasing carbon reporting requirements."

The company started its carbon-neutral journey ​12 months ago, and Thompson says it was a rigorous process. 

"Firstly, we needed to undertake an analysis of what our 3 Scopes of carbon emissions were based on the Australian Federal Governments peak body Climate Active. This was followed by an analysis of what internal and external projects we could invest resources and time towards in the mid and long term in order to obtain carbon neutrality."

Besides carbon neutrality, Greenbox also continues to invest in energy efficiency upgrades and renewable solutions. Part of the roadmap moving forward will revolve around electric vehicle freight and onsite energy storage.

"We're also proudly supporting an Australian Forest Regeneration Project that will deliver one million tonnes in emission reductions over the next 10 years," adds Thompson.

Investment in the future is a key theme for Greenbox, and Thompson says that this will continue to play a vital role going forward.

"Over the years we've continuously invested in our people and facilities, and we'll continue to do that with a positive environmental and social impact in mind with everything that we do."

He also reflects on the success and effort put into the carbon-neutral achievement and credits the company's trusted customers and partners.

"We're extremely proud of Greenbox Group's carbon neutral achievement, which has taken a lot of time and resources to achieve. We're also proud of our twenty two year history of servicing Australia & New Zealand's largest Corporate, Government and Education institutions, all of whom have required a trusted partner to handle their sensitive electronic life-cycle considerations in a safe, secure and sustainable way over the years."

For those wanting to add value to their ESG outcomes and learn more about the process, Thompson welcomes the chance to explain and discuss Greenbox's journey.

"Obtaining this status has had a multiplier effect, and the more people know about it the better, for our communities, businesses and future as a whole, so I'm always more than happy to provide feedback on the journey that we've been through as an organisation to obtain this status."