Hybrid Software Group PLC Annual Report 2022 40 41 Hybrid Software Group PLC Annual Report 2022 Hybrid Software Group Strategic report Governance Financial statements Other information The Board of Directors is very aware of its responsibilities towards the environment and to employees and believes that driving sustainability goals through the business is not only the right thing to do for future generations but also makes for good business practice. Indeed, in many of the Group’s key growth markets, such as packaging and textiles, environmental factors are influencing how those markets develop. The Group’s business is to develop and market software solutions for printing and electronics for inkjet printing in particular. As a result, management believes the Group has no activities that are likely to have significant, detrimental effects on the environment. In fact, an application of some of the Group’s products is to limit ink use when printing and inkjet printing is inherently more sustainable than analogue printing: generating less waste in all aspects of production. The Group has shown leadership in the industry, advertising its commitment to Net Zero, and giving presentations on “the Carbon Footprint of Inkjet” at industry conferences. For several years the Group has implemented policies aimed at minimising the Group’s environmental footprint, including recycling waste from paper, ink, toner cartridges, other computer consumables and computer hardware. The Group is implementing policies to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 footprint such as sourcing renewable energy and prioritising low-carbon forms of travel and is talking with supply chains to measure and push down on Scope 3 carbon footprint. Since 2021, through a partnership with Ecologi, the Group now offsets the carbon footprint of all Group employees, whether from personal activities at home or from (Scope 1 and Scope 2) activities at work. Ecologi facilitates the funding of carbon offset projects and tree planting around the world, to generate high quality carbon offsets. Since this partnership with Ecologi started, the Group has achieved an offset of over 3,500 tonnes of CO2e and funded over 48,000 trees, which have contributed to 24 environmental projects across the globe. Starting in 2022, the Group has partnered with Octopus Electric Vehicles to allow UK based employees to lease electric vehicles via a salary sacrifice scheme. To date 8 employees have taken delivery of their electric vehicle. Other employee events to encourage sustainability included hosting vegan lunches with invited speakers to discuss environment issues, a green commute to work scheme, litter-picking around local streets, and providing support in kind to the River Rhee Interest Group (an environmentalist group supporting the watercourse that runs by one of our offices) and the Wildlife Trust (a UKbased wildlife charity). ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS (INCLUDING CLIMATE CHANGE)
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