Westcon-Comstor in ANZ switches to 100% renewable power

Westcon-Comstor has achieved a significant milestone by powering all its sites in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) entirely with renewable electricity.

This achievement is part of a broader initiative by the technology provider and distributor to meet 100% of its electricity needs from renewable sources globally by 2030. The company, which operates in more than 70 countries, has seen a steady increase in its use of renewable electricity, as reported in its Responsible Business report. 

The report unveiled that the company increased its global use of electricity from renewable sources to 42% during its latest financial year, up from 33% the previous year. Australia and New Zealand are the first countries within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region where these goals have been fully realised.

Alongside shifting to renewable energy, Westcon-Comstor has implemented various initiatives to enhance energy efficiency in the region. In Australia, the installation of solar panels at its Yennora warehouse has led to a 40% reduction in grid energy usage. In New Zealand, efforts to reduce energy consumption include the installation of electric vehicle chargers at the Auckland office and conducting energy surveys across the country's sites.

These efforts align with the objectives outlined by RE100, a global corporate renewable energy initiative that Westcon-Comstor joined in 2023. The goal complements the company's broader emissions reduction targets aimed at achieving net zero by 2050. Westcon-Comstor holds the distinction of being the first major global technology distributor to have its net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Jason Barker, AU Supply Chain Director & APAC ESG Lead at Westcon-Comstor, stated, "Setting ambitious sustainability goals has been a key driver for our business, and it's gratifying to see significant progress in crucial markets like Australia and New Zealand. Electricity consumption is a major contributor to our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions globally, making the transition to renewable energy sources a critical step towards our goal of reducing these emissions by 50% by 2030. Additionally, minimising energy usage is essential for sustainable operations, and this remains a priority for us across the APAC region and beyond."

Encouraged by its success in ANZ, Westcon-Comstor plans to extend its renewable electricity targets and expand its focus on enhancing the areas of 'people, planet, and communities' within the region. As highlighted in the Responsible Business report, the company also noted an increase of 13% year on year in its training budgets, amounting to approximately USD $1 million for employee development programmes worldwide.