When talking about sustainability, people usually focus on big industries like oil and gas, airlines, transportation, and automotive. As a result, the information communications technology (ICT) sector often gets overlooked. Yet, it is said to account for 2% of all carbon emissions — the same as the airline industry.
Enter Mat Jordan, CEO at Procurri, who is making it his mission to help ICT businesses realise their true green potential and spread awareness about the sector’s overall contribution to climate change.
Procurri works with businesses around the globe to find green ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, while incorporating more sustainable habits in the long run. “Sustainability has been a fundamental principle for us since we founded the business in IT hardware resale,” explains Jordan.
Committed to making a difference
Jordan’s profound interest in sustainability within the ICT sector was kindled by his first-hand observation of the “rapid growth of electronic waste and its environmental impact”, which made him search for viable solutions to make the industry more ecologically sustainable.
Jordan joined Procurri in 2014 as sales director for the UK, and has been a driving force in developing some of Procurri’s sustainable thinking. “I spearheaded the development of our circular IT solutions. Our rationale is that the majority of carbon associated with IT is produced at the point of manufacture, up to 80%. Thus, providing a portfolio of credible solutions that enable our customers to ‘sweat’ their IT hardware estate longer and benefit their financial depreciation line must be a good thing. This in turn reduces the need for new replacement hardware and reduces manufacturing carbon dioxide overhead,” he explains.
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Nine years on, Jordan remains passionate about helping businesses adopt and maintain greener practices. He was appointed the CEO of Procurri in April this year.
It is Procurri’s commitment to eco-friendly business trends, passion for environmental issues and strict sustainability mission that keeps Jordan invested. He says: “I see Procurri as an opportunity to drive change within the IT industry, creating a greener, more sustainable future. We embrace challenges as opportunities to innovate and lead towards a brighter, eco-conscious path.”
Making sustainability financially viable
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“What is notable is the relatively high carbon emissions expected from the production of ICT equipment,” says Jordan.
According to Allianz, the ICT sector’s carbon emissions are projected to hit 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030. These emissions are said to contribute approximately 1.8% to 2.8% of the total CO2 emissions globally — a number that is “equivalent to the airline industry”.
It certainly makes it all the more urgent for the industry to switch to green practices sooner so it can address the considerable carbon footprint it leaves behind. One of which is IT hardware extension and reuse — get more out of what we have today, rather than disposing of it and re-purchasing new.
However, going green is not always a walk in the park, as some businesses still worry about what going green truly means for their bottom line.
“One common misconception businesses have about going green is that it is a financial burden. However, sustainable practices often result in long-term cost savings through improved resource efficiency and reduced operational expenses, sweating your estate longer,” says Jordan.
The industry’s newer attitude towards greener practices has provided Procurri with plenty of strategic opportunities to help businesses identify solutions that also help slash costs. These days, clients seek not only to “lower carbon emissions, but also maximise the useful life of their IT investment”, he says.
Working with partners to champion sustainability
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The change in perspective is not just capped at businesses that are actively adjusting to the demand for sustainable solutions. Regulators and policymakers have also joined in by offering incentives to promote sustainability.
Procurri is gaining customers wanting to do their part for sustainability as well, and there is still plenty that thrills Jordan when it comes to helping businesses go green.
“One particularly exciting partnership in the ICT industry was with a major data centre provider that adopted our circular IT solutions. Together, we significantly reduced electronic waste while meeting their IT needs sustainably,” he shares.
“I find Procurri’s solutions exciting because they align with my values, contributing to a more sustainable world while delivering value to our clients. The global circular IT model, asset recovery services and third-party maintenance solutions we offer set us apart and keep me motivated.
“What we offer is rare: Few competitors can match the scope of services that we provide to enterprises to manage the ‘cradle to grave’ sustainable IT lifecycle, from the purchase of equipment to its effective operation, and recycling or upcycling at the end of its useful life,” he says.
By combining sustainable drivers with economic benefits and broad market trends, Jordan believes that the company is well positioned to solidify its position as a sustainability champion within the IT sector.
Paving a green path forward
Procurri is also walking the talk — the company was bestowed a carbon-neutral status by The Carbon Footprint Standard in 2021. “This means we offset the same amount of emissions we create as part of our operations. Having collated our global facility’s carbon data over the past two years, Procurri was able to achieve the independently certified CO2 -assessed status, and subsequently offset our emissions through recognised certified programmes,” Jordan says.
It certainly is a feather in his cap, as the standard is viewed as validation for the company’s continued sustainability commitments. “It motivates us to continue driving positive change in the industry. The recognition also demonstrates our credibility to clients who prioritise environmentally responsible partners,” he adds.
Procurri’s green aspirations do not just stop here, as the company has ambitious targets in place to achieve by 2025. These targets include a yearly reduction of energy consumption as a percentage of revenue by 1% and a progressive increase in the use of renewable electricity.
However, he acknowledges that the road towards being a fully sustainable industry does not just lie on the company’s shoulders. Instead, he feels that small or seemingly insignificant efforts or contributions can have far-reaching repercussions.
“We should not underestimate the power of collective action to reduce the negative impact of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases on our planet. Change is not about one organisation or person trying to spur a transformation, but about all of us doing what we can, and improving on what we do today — for the benefit of tomorrow,” says Jordan.
About Procurri
Procurri is one of the leading global independent providers of third-party maintenance services, IT asset disposition and data centre services, and hardware distribution and resale. By offering a channel that combines the technology, finance, and logistics domains, Procurri aims to be a global aggregator of enterprise services and hardware to its customers. The company website is: https://www.procurri.com/
About kopi-C: The Company Brew
kopi-C is a regular column by SGX Research in collaboration with Beansprout, a MAS-licensed investment advisory platform, that features C-level executives of leading companies listed on SGX. These interviews are profiles of senior management aimed at helping investors better understand the individuals who run these corporations
