SoftServe, one of the largest Ukrainian IT companies, has adopted an environmental policy for the next ten years. To meet these targets, the company plans, in particular, to continue to reduce energy consumption and switch to renewable energy sources where possible.
And in the future to develop the format of remote work, adhere to the principles of sustainable development of the UN in the development of products and services, and reduce the use of materials that cannot be recycled.
According to this plan, the company undertakes to achieve the following goals by 2032:
- to become a carbon-neutral business;
- achieve a zero level of waste (net zero waste);
- design environmentally sustainable offices;
- develop IT solutions that help fight environmental challenges.
“Caring for the environment has always been among the priorities for SoftServe, and in 2021 we have moved to a new level in this matter and introduced a new approach to eco-management. Last year, the company created a special environmental council and launched a detailed accounting of all waste in order to assess its own environmental footprint, which will help us achieve our environmental goals in the future,” said Yuliya Kuvitanova, manager of environmental sustainability at SoftServe.
Yes, in 2021, SoftServe has already managed to reduce the number of direct emissions by 55.4% compared to the previous year, as stated in the Corporate Social Responsibility Sustainability Report 2021.
To minimize waste, SoftServe donates computer and office equipment to charity and sells it on an internal marketplace. The company disposes of what cannot be reused. In 2021, about 50 kg of such waste was disposed of, including monitors, elements of system units, fluorescent lamps, and others. This year, the company also disposed of 373.5 kg of batteries. In general, since 2018, most SoftServe offices have been sorting and recycling plastic, glass, metal, and paper.
The company also pays a lot of attention to the development of a culture of eco-awareness among employees, organizing internal programs and initiatives — from planting trees and educational low-waste events to the development of technological solutions for environmental organizations. In 2021, the company’s employees planted more than 6,000 trees, and IT specialists on a volunteer basis developed a waste sorting application for the NGO “Ukraine without garbage”.
SoftServe hopes that, despite the war, more and more attention will be paid to the issue of sustainable development, and the company is ready to actively participate in changes both at the level of its business and the state.
SoftServe is the largest global IT company with Ukrainian roots working in the field of software development and consulting services.