Technology – love it or loathe it – we all rely on it for our daily lives. Particularly since the onset of the pandemic, we have seen an accelerated rate of digitisation and virtualisation of business and society, and this digital transformation shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Writing for Forbes, Bernard Marr recently described this ever-increasing reliance on technology as a reminder of the need for sustainability and to ‘get smart’ with a newfound openness to flexibility, agility, and innovative thinking, as our focus inevitably shifts from merely attempting to survive in a changing world to thriving in it.
B Corp, Brightly, is proud to be one of the first IT services in Aotearoa to certify, lighting the way for positive impact through IT strategies and solutions that consider the whole picture: efficiency, security and sustainable growth for people, planet and community.
Helping businesses to future-proof their IT systems with effective remote working solutions, e-waste reduction, and more, Brightly takes us ‘Behind The B’ to reflect on what makes them a better business in 2022 beyond.
Doing good business means achieving more than commercial success. It means choosing to operate in a way that benefits your customers, your staff, your community and the environment. That’s our vision.
In 2020, we were proud to light the way as one of the first IT services companies in Aotearoa to certify as a B Corp, joining a growing number of Kiwi businesses with purposes beyond profit.
Having recently celebrated our fifth year in business, and our second as a Certified B Corporation, this month provided a good opportunity for us to reflect on what we’ve achieved since certification, and to consider where there is still room for us to have greater impact. Here are some of the ways we’ve made the world a little better for people, planet and communities, and the goals we’re striving for.
Expanding diversity in the tech sector
We’re committed to creating opportunities and expanding diversity in Aotearoa’s tech sector. According to the Digital Skills Aotearoa Report 2021, only 27 per cent of the IT workforce are women, only 4 per cent are Māori, and only 2.8 per cent are Pacific peoples.
We recognise that the diversity challenge starts in education. So, as part of our commitment to creating change, we’ve partnered with DigiWahine, an initiative run by Microsoft New Zealand to dispel stereotypes associated with high tech jobs through mentorships, role models and technical experiences.
DigiWahine focuses on inspiring Year 9 and 10 students from Māori and Pasifika backgrounds, giving them hands-on opportunities to experience different technologies, as well as a chance to hear from women working in tech.
We’ve also partnered with Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) Co-operative Education Employer programme, to provide an internship opportunity for a young worker as they transition from their studies to the business world. Students can put what they’ve learned in the classroom into action on the job, learning from real situations and developing their own professional skills.
Looking ahead, we’ll be considering other ways to increase diversity through our recruitment practices. This will involve engaging more with industry groups to connect with and attract local talent for upcoming employment opportunities, and seeking inspiration from our fellow B Corps who are leading in this space.
There can be no climate justice without social justice
We believe climate change needs urgent attention and we’re working hard to reduce our carbon footprint. At the same time, we believe that there can be no climate justice without social justice, which is why we’re just as dedicated to community and social issues as environmental ones.
From a footprint perspective, we measure and assess our environmental impact using Toitu’s Carbon Assess tool, which allows us to identify areas for improvement and mitigate the impact of our emissions by purchasing offsets. Our next stop is carbon neutral, but right now we’re continually looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, including:
- Carbon offsetting all air travel
- Partnering with CarbonZero certified couriers Urgent Couriers
- Encouraging remote working as well as e-bikes and public transport
- Green star building work premises
Helping people reduce e-waste
Electronic waste or ‘e-waste’ is defined as waste in the form of electrical or electronic equipment, devices or other materials designed to generate, transfer or measure an electric current or electromagnetic field. It basically means any device that has a plug, battery or power cord that is no longer working or wanted that we often discard from our homes and businesses (or keep in a drawer forever!) from monitors to printers, old phones and even calculators.
Careful planning now can immediately cut costs, reduce e-waste and make a positive impact on the environment for years to come.
As part of every project, we consider opportunities to reduce e-waste by choosing upgradable technologies, rechargeables and more efficient systems.
We always look to reuse existing hardware before recommending technology upgrades. We ensure e-waste is collected and safely disposed of on behalf of our clients through Computer Recycling, and over the last year we have collected and disposed of over 800kg of e-waste.
We’re also committed to greener ways of working. Brightly HQ is located in GridAKL, a shared office space and a Green Star Energy rated building, with energy efficient air-conditioning and environmentally sustainable LED lighting.
To reduce travel emissions, we encourage remote working, and e-bikes or public transport when commuting to and from work. All Brightly employees are offered company funded AT hop cards as part of our commitment to encourage sustainable commuting options. And we continue to look at ways to better capture, measure and report on our impact to further reduce and mitigate our emissions and achieve our goal of becoming a CarbonZero certified organisation.
Creating a more sustainable and equitable future
Through charitable and sponsorship partnerships, we’re putting our support behind important initiatives that align with our vision for a more sustainable and equitable future.
Each year we donate 1 per cent of our company’s revenue to causes we care about, predominantly through One Percent Collective. Recently, we celebrated our three year anniversary and we have been able to donate $16,500 so far to 13 charities through regular giving. We also provide support to a number of local not-for-profit organisations through voluntary hours and pro-bono consultancy and advisory services to local nonprofits Motutapu Restoration Trust and Garden to Table Charitable Trust.
Going forward, we’re working to improve measurement of the time we put into these great causes and identifying opportunities for our staff to contribute more.
Something that’s also important to us is amplifying the messages of sustainability and social justice alongside other businesses and fellow B Corps. We love connecting with the local B Corp community and helping to inspire increased collective impact through collaboration, and we host regular B Local events at GridAKL.
We’re always happy to chat with anyone considering becoming a Certified B Corporation and to share more about our own experience and lessons. Like our fellow B Corps, we are committed to improvement, rather than taking the easy option, and believe we can all go further together.
Thank you to Brightly for taking us ‘Behind The B’ part of B Corp Month 2022, inviting us to uncover what makes a B Corp a better business.
There are so many B Corps doing great things. Search here to buy from, work with, or learn more about Certified B Corporations around the world ↗
