At ZS, we are committed to creating a healthier and more sustainable future for all. Knowing that climate change impacts health outcomes in significant and disparate ways, it has become critical that we prioritize environmental sustainability and reduce ZS’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We believe that by setting and meeting science-based emission reduction targets—for both near-term and net zero—we can lower our negative impact on the environment. At a recent event in our India offices, ZSers contributed ideas to make their workplace and environment greener and celebrated ZS’s progress in actively reducing GHG emissions firmwide.
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“We are actively educating ZSers on how their actions can impact the environment, and they are enthusiastically participating in community initiatives such as tree planting and recycling waste materials,” shares Rohit Bhagwat, office managing principal at ZS’s Pune office and a member of ZS’s ESG Steering Committee. “Our commitment to green practices also extends to reducing single-use plastic in our offices. All these practices help to reduce carbon emissions and set a positive example for our employees and clients.”
As part of the event, ZSers submitted a diverse range of projects and case studies aimed at making our workplace and environment greener. Some teams focused on waste management, investigating the reduction of single-use plastics, composting organic waste and enhancing recycling efforts. Another team explored energy efficiency and power usage reduction within our office spaces. Others studied the possibility of transitioning our taxi fleet from traditional fuel-powered vehicles to electric or hybrid alternatives, acknowledging the negative contribution transportation has on the environment. Their insightful presentation examined the processes and challenges of this transformation, demonstrating ZS’s commitment to reducing our carbon footprint through eco-friendly transportation solutions. Finally, another team explored the mechanisms and decision-making involved in purchasing carbon credits, in line with our broader sustainability strategy.
“It’s incredible to see the pace at which environmental requirements are speeding up from our clients and our people,” says Jennifer Gold, global ESG lead for ZS. “Our teams in India have wonderful ideas that we want to take back to all ZS offices and start making a difference for our organization on our path to net zero.”
During the event, we also celebrated a significant achievement of ZS switching our International Tech Park office in Pune to renewable energy. It is the second office in India to do so, following in the footsteps of our World Trade Center office in Pune, which first made the switch to 100% renewable energy in 2022. Globally, we are scaling the use of clean energy sources to help achieve our near-term, science-based target of reducing scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 48.8% by 2030 (compared to our 2019 baseline year) and have filed a net zero target of 2045, awaiting approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Since our Pune offices are home to the largest majority of ZSers, this accomplishment marks an important milestone in our journey.
To further reduce GHG emissions, we are finding ways to decrease waste across offices. In recognizing our efforts, the MSME Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India recently granted ZS the Sustainability Champion Award for Innovation in Responsible Recycling. During the fiscal year 2022-23, our India teams responsibly disposed of 6,779 kilograms of e-waste, playing a significant role in fostering positive environmental change. The India offices have also established the Social and Environmental Accountability and Occupational Health and Safety Management System in accordance with requirements from International Organization for Standardization (ISO 26000:2010, 14001:2015, 45001:2018 and 45003:2021) and Social Accountability International (SA8000:2014) standards. These standards certify organizations for the efficient management of health, safety and psychological risks along with environmental consciousness.
These recognitions for ZS are not only a celebration of our collective commitment to sustainability but also a testament to the innovative solutions and initiatives undertaken by our passionate employees. As we continue to promote a culture of environmental responsibility, these achievements mark significant progress in our journey toward a greener, more sustainable future. We are excited about the positive contributions we can collectively make and look forward to furthering our ESG initiatives in India and beyond. You can learn more about our progress and journey to date in our 2022 ESG report.
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