December 12, 2023 —Blue Connections IT, a platinum and gold partner for some of the world’s largest technology vendors, has been certified carbon neutral for its business operations against the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for the financial year ending June 30, 2023. This is the second consecutive year that the organisation has achieved this certification, fortifying its commitment to operating more sustainably.

Gordon Brownell, chief executive officer, Blue Connections IT, said,

” Blue Connections IT is thrilled to have achieved carbon neutral certification by Climate Active for the second consecutive year, demonstrating the company’s continued dedication to adopting more sustainable operating practices and reducing its overall impact on the environment. “

To attain carbon neutral certification from Climate Active, the organisation’s Australian business operations were subject to comprehensive assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by Pangolin Associates, a Climate Active registered consultancy. As part of this assessment, Pangolin Associates collated information on the carbon produced from the entire value chain of Blue Connection IT’s operations, including electricity usage; business kilometres travelled; freight transportation; daily needs such as cleaning, software, and stationery; and professional services such as lawyers, public relations (PR) and advertising.

Building on its successful sustainability initiatives already introduced—which included replacing plastic packaging with recycled cardboard, signing up to a car leasing company to make electric vehicles (EVs) more accessible for its employees, and installing six EV charging stations onsite—Blue Connections IT has added two EVs to its existing fleet of vehicles, and is committed to doubling its solar panel array, among other initiatives. The organisation has also reported an increase in its employees taking advantage of its EV leasing agreement, as well as installing solar panels on their homes, which makes its work-from-home arrangement even more sustainable. In addition, Blue Connections IT has reported a 339 per cent increase in employees walking, running, or cycling to work, demonstrating continued engagement to lowering emissions across the business.

The Pangolin Associates assessment determined Blue Connections IT had experienced a 19.2 per cent decrease in overall Year-on-Year (YoY) emissions compared to its findings for the 2021-22 financial year.

Gordon Brownell said,

” The commitment by Blue Connections IT to sustainability is central to its success. Beyond contributing to a more sustainable future, the company also recognises that sustainability has become a key factor in buying decisions for its customers and partners, and that adopting more sustainable practices is crucial. “

” Blue Connections IT is dedicated to decreasing its overall environmental impact and helping its customers and partners meet their own emissions targets. Being certified carbon neutral for the second consecutive year is indicative of the organisation’s continued sustainability commitment, and its resolution to be a leader in this space. “

Matthew Coleman, senior consultant – environment and energy, Pangolin Associates, said,

“ Blue Connections IT recognises that achieving carbon neutral certification with Climate Active is more than a box-ticking exercise; it’s a serious commitment to lowering carbon dioxide emissions and aligning the overall business direction to become a sustainable operation. Some companies are measuring their emissions and purchasing offsets to become carbon neutral without considering the importance of yearly falls in emissions produced. ”

“ The assessment process is complicated and requires a coordinated and timely effort, including an ongoing engagement to understand the sources of emissions to continue YoY reductions. Blue Connections IT has again demonstrated its dedication to collecting the granular data required to complete their greenhouse gas assessment. This reflects its enthusiasm to take tangible actions towards decreasing carbon emissions and operating more sustainably. ”

“ Furthermore, Blue Connections IT consistently demonstrates its understanding of the importance of business-wide decarbonisation by making the internal changes required to continue reducing its carbon emissions. Attaining carbon-neutral certification for the second consecutive year displays Blue Connections IT’s commitment to lowering its environmental impact. ”

Gordon Brownell said,

“ Committing to decreasing carbon emissions and investing in more sustainable processes and practices is a simple choice for the Blue Connections IT team. Not only does it help the environment, it also means working with Blue Connections IT is an easy decision for prospective partners, customers, and even new talent to make. Blue Connections IT will continue to take steps to ensure it remains dedicated to further reducing emissions and operating more sustainably for years to come. ”