QBS has become the first carbon-neutral distributor in the UK and been named a finalist in the Sustainable Distributor of the Year competition at the Tech Impact Awards run by prestigious channel publication CRN.


Dave Stevinson, chief executive officer of QBS, said: "Rather than paying lip service to the climate emergency, QBS Technology Group and our companies have been one of the pioneers in achieving carbon neutrality -- as verified by external parties.


"This is a core part of our sustainability mission. We have ambitious targets to go even further -- reaching net zero carbon emissions early. We're also well on the way to becoming a B Corp UK company, which means we will be certified for our balancing of people and profit."


Click here to learn more about the difference between carbon neutrality and 'net zero' and why the terms matter in this article by adviser Herbert Smith Freehills.


Stevinson is calling on other companies to follow QBS' lead in the war on damage to our climate and the planet.


"I would be pleased to assist anyone in my network with any advice on their own decarbonisation journey," he said.


"We invested early in the sustainability journey, and our colleagues, our environmental sustainability group leaders, dedicated sustainability team and external consultants have worked hard together with us on this."


The channel has a role to play


QBS is also a finalist for a Sustainable Distributor of the Year gong at the CRN Tech Impact Awards.


According to CRN UK research editor Doug Woodburn, the ultimate winner will be decided at a virtual event on 16 September 2021.


"Technology has a huge role to play in helping organisations decarbonise over the next decade," Woodburn said. "Meanwhile, the industry is innovating hard in a bid to cut its own ecological footprint and continue to make a social impact."


Partly because digital services can help slash carbon emissions, CRN had set up its Tech Impact campaign and awards with a view to rewarding and disseminating best practice in environmental and social sustainability in the IT channel, he indicated.


"The most successful firms over the next decade must show customers, employees and investors they are leading the way when it comes to environmental and social sustainability," Woodburn said in his write-up announcing the finalists, here.


QBS Group's carbon-neutral companies include: QBS Software, QBS France, QBS MSP, QBS:Alpha Gen, QBS International and Compuwave GmbH. The finalist placing is just the latest in a long string of accolades for the fast-growing group.


( Photo by Daniel Öberg on Unsplash )