Balancing Profit & Purpose
“Our purpose at QBS is to
create long-term value for all stakeholders, sustainably, and we know that this is only possible if we understand our impact and play our part to support a healthy planet, our contribution to an equitable society and our commitment to strong corporate governance.”
Therese Stevinson, Group Sustainability & Diversity Officer
QBS Technology Group
QBS Software: Verified by B Lab
As one of only 2,000 certified B Corps in the UK, QBS Software has been recognised by B Lab with an excellent score of 93.6 and has bold ambitions to achieve a score of 100+ in 2025.
B Corp certification means that a company has been verified as meeting B Lab’s high standards for social and environmental impact, it has made a legal commitment to stakeholder governance, and that it is demonstrating accountability and transparency by disclosing performance records in a public B Corp profile.
In recognition of our dedication to sustainability and ethical business practices, QBS Software are also winners of the CRN Sustainability in Tech Awards designed to recognise companies across the IT sector that are pioneering and investing in new ways to make the IT industry more sustainable.
As the CEO of QBS Technology Group, I am deeply proud of our journey in the past year. Our transition to become a certified B Corporation (B Corp) has not only been an integral part of our business strategy but a reaffirmation of our commitment towards creating a better world through technology.
In our mission to create long term value for stakeholders sustainably, we are trying to go beyond ticking boxes. We know that we have a difficult journey, but our ambition is to lead and inspire the rest of our industry, other stakeholders and our employees to join us to make a positive difference.
Dave Stevinson, CEO
QBS Technology Group
ESG Awards & Affiliations
Becoming a Better Business
From B Corp certification, through to DEI and employee satisfaction goals, QBS are on a mission to become a better business.
Download the QBS 2023 Carbon Footprint and B Corp Impact Report to read about our sustainability journey and find out about the aspirations we have for the future.
Statutory Reporting on GHG Emissions
As part of our transparency surrounding ESG efforts, QBS voluntarily provides environmental data in audited, annual company accounts in addition to information detailing footprint and progress on our energy use and carbon emissions reduction in compliance with SECR, in addition to ESOS reporting to the UK’s Environment Agency.
Pledge to Net Zero
On April 22nd 2021, World Earth Day, our Group CEO formally signed our official Pledge to Net Zero in conjunction with IEMA/SocEnv/EIC/WSP/AECOM. Pledge to Net Zero was launched in late 2019 and is partnered with the UN’s official global-backed campaign, ‘Race to Zero’. It requires signatories to commit to deliver a greenhouse gas target in line with either a 1.5°C climate change scenario, or well below 2ºC.
The pledge to Net Zero reflects our company ambition, but we are still working on our plan to achieve this. We have expanded our carbon reporting to include all of our software cost of sales, making our own Scope 1 and 2 impacts now just 0.13% of the total, and excluding cost of sales, all of our impacts just 6.5% of the total.
Getting to Net Zero relies on all of our software suppliers and pension funds also getting to Net Zero which we know will be hard to achieve, but we believe it to be worthwhile.
Climate Impact Partners
Since 2021, QBS have only used Gold Standard VER (Verified Emission Reduction) offsets from Climate Impact Partners, a certified B Corporation, which is dedicated to tackling climate change and improving lives around the world. These offsets are a specially selected from reputable projects that have additional health, social and economic benefits as well as carbon reduction. We also support the majority of the UN SDGs and specifically 8 through our offsetting programme. These are closely aligned to our purpose and represent an area where we can have authentic and meaningful impact, given the nature of our business and where we operate.
Our Policies
The board of directors determines the processes for decision making, accountability, control and behaviour. A lot of time, effort and expense has been applied to ensure the governance in QBS is of a similar standard to a small/mid-cap listed company. See the available policies in the website footer for more information.
Social
Engaging with and investing in our local communities is critically important to QBS. The intended purpose of company donations is to achieve positive social, environmental and community impact, with a strategic bias towards the support of emerging sports and wellbeing.
Philanthropy Statement
The intended purpose of company donations is to achieve positive social, environmental and community impact, with a strategic bias towards the support of emerging sports and wellbeing.
Community Engagement
With seven physical offices and a good proportion of remote workers, we are pleased to have recently supported over ten community initiatives ranging from volunteering to feed the homeless in Paris, supporting a bake-off for a Cork-based breast cancer charity, sponsoring the Great Britain real tennis U21 team and funding the team shirts of a Munich-based basketball team.
Sponsoring Emerging Sports
QBS have a strong commitment to ESG, and supporting society (as one of our 5 stakeholders) is core to our purpose. Our history in sponsorship goes back many years to the late eighties when we were starting out in the fledgling technology business and articulating the value of software, and has encompassed sports including football, basketball, tennis and cricket.
Sponsoring Channel Initiatives
We support channel initiatives that are aligned with our ESG strategy and help the channel evolve and have a positive impact on the community and the environment.
Governance
QBS believes in strong governance and this is set by the group board comprising of a balance of executive and non-executive directors.
“Good governance is essential to ensure the whole group is working in a way that links back to our overarching purpose. The board are responsible for implementing our policies and processes right the way through the organisation and effective governance will be apparent to all of our stakeholders – both internal and external.”
Steve Turner, Chief Legal Officer
QBS Technology Group
Our ESG Targets
QBS uses KPIs that act as a compass to ensure moving in the right direction to meet our ESG promises.
B Corp Certification
Achieve B Corp certification with a score of 100+
Staff Training
100% of all staff to be formally trained on sustainability by a leading consultant
Local Business
70% of NFR suppliers to be local businesses, within 50 miles of the office
Stationery supplies
100% of stationery supplies to be made from recycled materials or with low environmental impact
Renewable Energy
All offices to have renewable energy contracts in place.
Group Carbon Impact
Cut our group carbon impact (inclusive of homeworking) by 8% in absolute terms
Staff Satisfaction
Continually measure and improve staff satisfaction and engagement through quarterly eNPS surveys
CEO Support
5% of CEOs time to support young entrepreneurs, industry sustainability and emerging sport
Discover Our Difference
