A Year in Review: World Wide Technology Sustainability Initiatives 2024
In this blog
Sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives are central to World Wide Technology's vision of being the best technology solution provider in the world, showcasing our commitment to people and the planet. WWT's ESG team, consisting of employees in Canada, Costa Rica, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, championed sustainability through strategic partnerships, employee engagement and internal efforts to reduce operational and business impact on the environment. Discover how the team has promoted responsible business practices and innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Initiatives and progress on sustainability goals in 2024
WWT measures, tracks, reports and takes action to minimize the impact that business operations have on the global climate and the environment. There are three pillar categories of environmental measures with which WWT seeks to act and continuously improve: net-zero emissions, waste reduction and water neutrality.
Net-zero emissions
WWT has taken substantial steps towards achieving its ambitious goal of net-zero emissions by 2040, which has been validated by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi). This alignment ensures that WWT's efforts are consistent with the scientific requirements needed to combat climate change.
One of the major milestones in 2024 was the implementation of renewable energy use in business operations. Beginning in January of 2025, WWT's owned properties in St. Louis will run on 14 percent renewable energy, marking a significant move towards reducing the company's carbon footprint. Additionally, WWT has been actively engaging with suppliers, which has resulted in more accurate reporting and has been crucial in achieving environmental goals. Collaboration with Microsoft using the Sustainability Manager tool has further enhanced WWT's ability to track and manage its environmental impact effectively.
Along with sustainable business initiatives, the ESG team has encouraged employee engagement to reduce emissions around the world! In June of this year, the Green Team at our European Integration Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands organized a "Bike to Work" day. WWT employees who cycled to work received a safety check and bike tune-up for free. This initiative resulted in 500 kilometers of sustainable travel and saving 200 kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere in just one day!
Waste reduction
As a technology solutions provider, e-waste is a large part of the ESG team's waste reduction strategy. With a focus on achieving a 75 percent diversion of solid waste from landfills by 2030, the team achieved significant progress toward this goal through several waste-reduction-related initiatives. The first of these includes working with stakeholders to create and implement a waste-handling program. This program includes an internal waste-awareness campaign to inform and educate employees on proper waste disposal practices for all types of materials, including digital waste and e-waste.
The "Clean Up Your Digital Trash to Reduce CO2 Emissions" workshop, hosted by WWT's Carmel McConnell MBE, successfully educated employees on the impact of their digital footprint. Participants learned how each stored file or email contributed to environmental impact and received hands-on tips for reducing their digital footprint, such as deleting unnecessary emails and managing cloud storage. The principles of digital minimalism were explored, demonstrating how small actions could lead to significant changes. Additionally, attendees were inspired by their peers and committed to taking one digital clean-up action, reinforcing a collective effort towards sustainability.
The team also implemented a program in the North American Integration Center (NAIC3) in Edwardsville, Illinois, which introduced new waste recycling streams and standardized bins. This system organizes types of waste by materials, such as plastic and batteries, for more effective recycling. Additionally, through recycling-themed employee events at NAIC3, WWT collected and properly disposed of 81 pounds of plastic and 1200 pounds of e-waste!
In order to recycle old tech equipment, WWT has partnered with Adonis, an e-waste recycling company specializing in environmentally friendly collection, recycling and refurbishment of electronic devices.
The impact of WWT's e-waste initiatives even extended to the community. Funds from recycling and refurbishment processes were donated to local charities, which supported community programs. This promotes sustainability and aids individuals and families in need. In 2024, the partnership with Adonis resulted in over $30,000 donated to the United Way charitable foundation, benefiting eight charities aligned with WWT's employee resource groups (ERG).
Water neutrality
This year, WWT achieved its water neutrality goal 16 years before the 2040 target! Water neutrality is the process of ensuring that the water used in business operations is restored or replaced. Community-level projects in water-scarce areas made this achievement possible.
One key project contributing to water neutrality included pond rejuvenation initiatives in India. The project aimed to increase the quality and amount of water in two ponds in Delhi and one in Mumbai and recharge local groundwater levels. As a result, WWT's pond rejuvenation projects in India also positively impacted 900 families and benefited biodiversity in the area by planting native aquatic plants, which not only help filter the water but also provide habitat for wildlife.
Product environmental compliance
As a global organization, it is crucial that our products and business practices comply with state and local regulations. Environmental regulations vary by product type, country and sometimes even by province and state. These regulations focus on materials and responsible product disposal to reduce waste. They apply to all products that WWT sells and imports in our global markets, including electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and their packaging.
This year, the WWT ESG team completed over 200 submissions and audits in dozens of countries around the world. This structured approach ensures regulatory alignment and strengthens the organization's environmental stewardship.
Additional sustainability projects
Protecting the planet and people are core components of the WWT ESG team strategy. The team prioritized finding ways to give back to the communities and organizations that align with our Core Values. In Kechala, Orissa, India, WWT has supported the Auromira School, a residential school for 200 children. By utilizing technology, infrastructure, and renewable energy, we've had the opportunity to uplift and empower the children and the community in one of the most remote areas in India.
Additionally, WWT has contributed to renovating the interiors of libraries in India and providing them with teaching and learning materials to encourage reading as a habit and enhance learning outcomes. These efforts have supported libraries in 11 government schools in Bangalore, four schools in Hyderabad and three schools in Mysore.
Conclusion
The achievements of WWT's ESG team in 2024 reflect our unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Our dedicated efforts in reducing our emissions, improving our waste and water management, product environmental compliance and the numerous initiatives across global markets position us as a leader in sustainable practices. As a result of these initiatives, we are proud to have been named one of America's Greenest Companies 2025 - WWT, a testament to our commitment to contributing to a greener future.
Looking ahead, we remain steadfast in our mission to set more ambitious targets and continue making significant strides in our sustainability journey. While regulatory alignment is a key driver in setting goals for sustainable business practices, it's the WWT way to go above and beyond. Our goals are more aggressive and people-centric than the regulatory requirements. We ensure that every step we take is a step toward a more sustainable and responsible world.
For more information about our ESG initiatives and to access our annual reports, please visit our Environmental, Social and Governance at WWT page.
Together, we can make a new world happen, one initiative at a time.