pitt&sherry’s Energy & Sustainability team recently developed a bespoke ESG strategy for Vivienne Court Trading (VivCourt), a trading firm headquartered in Sydney with a global footprint.

VivCourt strives to do business in a better way; by delivering healthy profits, providing a healthy work environment, stimulating work, and a commitment to positive impact.

Historically, VivCourt purchased carbon offsets to reach their carbon neutral status. They approached pitt&sherry to support their decarbonisation journey, aiming to educate and action emissions reduction without negative community impacts.

VivCourt is ambitious. They set a 200% ‘climate positive’ target and donate impactful capital to a range of social enterprises. They purchase sustainably, using local suppliers; re-use materials through catering partnerships which return cookware; provide keep-cups, sustainable clothing and various items to reduce waste and much more. The task of finding opportunities to improve ESG outcomes meant going beyond the quick wins often associated with the ‘E’ and the ‘S’.

pitt&sherry delivered a collaborative and pragmatic ESG strategy through the considered use of physical and virtual site audits, interviews, workshops, technology partner presentations and all staff seminars. Based on insights from VivCourt staff globally, the team constructed a practical methodology that leveraged staff interests and strengths.

Key Outcomes

1. Identified five significant, and one minor, emissions reduction focus areas:

• Purchased services (incl. data centres), flights, social investments, purchased electricity, operational waste and commuting (chosen to display staff choices impacting the emissions).

2. Delivery of a sustainable procurement guide to:

• Further reduce purchased service emissions through a smarter framework for decision making.
• Provide direction to staff for assistance with their own purchases.
• Guide decision making when selecting new office space during expansion.

3. Delivery of an all-staff seminar to:

• Educate staff about the key emissions drivers and what reduction actions they can take.
• Engage staff in the strategy for a 200% climate positive VivCourt with interactive, live surveys.
• Enable rigorous Q&A on items relating to sustainability in the home: EVs, solar, batteries etc.

4. Development of an offset portfolio and climate innovation investment strategy to:

• Provide the guidelines for a carbon offset brief, including which certification schemes were most suited to VivCourt’s climate impact ambitions.
• Introduce various climate technology players, from industry groups to start-up founders.
• Agree on the founding principle of 100% carbon offset + 100% climate innovation investment to achieve the 200% goal, and drive action and change in ‘the VivCourt way.’

VivCourt should be highly commended for their commitment to ESG outcomes. They understand the value of their professional and financial influence and use it to support better outcomes for communities that need it around the world. Through collaboration between pitt&sherry and the VivCourt project team, the ESG pathway and resulting climate and community outcomes are poised to enable decarbonisation, social impact and industry stewardship for others to follow.