Environmental sustainability and climate responsibility are integral to how we do business. Ignitec has been working towards becoming carbon neutral for years, and so far, we’re doing well. We audit our CO2 emissions annually, reduce them where possible, recycle and have a zero-waste office policy, and invest heavily in carbon offsetting projects that complement our in-house strategies.

At the same time, we’re mindful that there is still much to be done, and there’s always room for improvement. A commitment to sustainable development, clean energy and green tech is an ongoing practice: 10 years from now, when we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary, we want to be able to prove that this commitment was well-placed!

How can we join the ‘global push’ for sustainable development?

Other than the feel-good factor that comes with implementing eco-conscious business practices, we’ve found that there are also several tangible benefits:

• Reduced energy costs as a result of decreased energy consumption – 75% of our energy comes from renewable resources
• Improved staff morale increases productivity
• Better staff retention: a study conducted in 2022 found that a third of UK employees are willing to quit their jobs if their employers don’t take action to reduce or eliminate their carbon footprint
• It helps to build a stronger brand
• Eligibility for tax credits and relief schemes
• Reducing our supply chain fragility (i.e.keeping as much of our manufacturing in the UK as possible) decreases our carbon footprint and ensures consistently high quality products: a win for our clients, end users, and the planet

Green tech, clean tech, and climate tech: What’s the difference?

In an article on the climate responsibility outlook for 2022 and beyond, we noted that getting bogged down in jargon (i.e. carbon neutral, carbon offsets, net-zero emissions) makes it difficult for consumers and businesses to participate actively. The same applies when we look at green, clean, and climate technologies:

• green tech: using science and technology to protect the world’s natural resources, e.g. marine technology to protect oceans
• clean tech: solutions that improve the performance and efficiency of production while reducing negative environmental impact, e.g. wastewater treatment
• climate tech: tackles problems associated explicitly with human-induced climate change, e.g. carbon capture and storage

As a tech company, we’re understandably passionate about clean energy and green tech in all its forms: understanding the outcomes we’re looking for helps to develop technologies suited for purpose. For example, our team went to Norway in 2019 to learn about Sustainable Salmon farming and investigate ways to apply technology for improved outcomes.

As we advance, we’ll be embarking on our biggest commitment challenge yet: B Corps Certification.

How committed do you have to be for B Corps Certification?

In a word: extremely

Because B Corps Certification measures how high a company’s social and environmental performance is and its dedication towards sustainable development, the assessment criteria for certification are rigorous. This includes achieving a high score on environmental impact assessment tests and risk reviews and making business performance information publicly available.

It’s an expensive and time-consuming process we would certainly like to undertake. Again, aside from the feel-good benefits, B-Corps certification has tangible rewards. For one, it helps to further identify and eliminate needless and wasteful spending, which, in turn, helps to facilitate business growth. In addition, it makes businesses more attractive to investors who are increasingly looking to invest in companies with a sustainable future.

Can clean energy and green tech guarantee sustainability?

In and by themselves, no. But they do help to ensure that we don’t sacrifice longevity in favour of short-term gains.

As we get ready to celebrate our 10th birthday with all the bells and whistles this deserves, we can’t help but be proud of everything we accomplished and the expectations we exceeded to get here. We plan on reaching even greater heights for decades to come – making our commitment to clean energy and green tech essential to our long-term plans.

What are your means to ensuring the sustainability of your business?