Ingram Micro’s Trust X Alliance is the starting point for helping solution providers take their sustainability efforts to new heights.

Ingram Micro is ramping up its commitment to sustainability, leveraging its long-standing Trust X Alliance solution provider group in its aim to drive meaningful change across the industry, the community at large and the planet.

The effort comes as solution providers throughout Trust X Alliance—a community of Ingram Micro partners who collaborate, share best practices and drive innovation—face increasing demands from customers to demonstrate their environmental and social responsibility.

“Over the past few years, sustainability has transitioned from being a checkbox to a critical requirement,” said Guy Hocking, managing director at U.K.-based solution provider Utilize and the U.K. regional president of Trust X Alliance.

“Businesses are not only asked about their environmental, social and governance [ESG] policies but are also expected to provide substantial proof of their commitments. Younger employees entering the workforce are also looking to work for companies that align with their values and contribute positively to the world.”

Many Trust X Alliance members have been tackling initiatives based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework, which highlights 17 ways that businesses can make a difference through ESG initiatives. The approach aims to provide tangible actions that businesses can implement.

“We’ve been dedicated to sustainability for years, with our ESG efforts deeply integrated into our business model,” said Jennifer Anaya, senior vice president of global marketing at Ingram Micro, Irvine, Calif. “Our goal with the Trust X Alliance is to support our partners in embedding sustainability into their operations and to help them navigate the various practices and regulations. Ingram Micro’s role is to provide guidance and share best practices. We are in the early stages of integrating more specific features, like sustainability reporting, into our platforms.”

In addition to its guidance, the distributor has established Ingram Micro Planetary, an internal educational effort to track and achieve its sustainability goals. The initiative is designed to enhance governance around sustainability and ensure that global operations are aligned with its environmental objectives.

“Our community is made up of partners, vendors and Ingram Micro itself,” Anaya said. “We see ourselves as a three-legged stool, where each part supports the others. It’s essential for us to work together, share knowledge and hold each other accountable.”

At U.K.-based Perspicuity, recent initiatives include the introduction of a two-day paid volunteering policy, allowing employees to contribute to local community projects.

“This is just one example of how we’re translating our sustainability goals into tangible actions,” said Elliott Carter, head of change and communications at Perspicuity. “It’s about creating policies that employees value and that contribute to the community. We’re seeing a real push for businesses to not just adopt sustainability practices but to communicate them effectively.

Ingram Micro’s sustainability efforts are also reflected in its digital tools like the Xvantage platform, which aims to integrate sustainability into everyday business processes.

“The ability to track and understand the carbon footprint of products through Xvantage is a significant step forward,” Carter said. “It’s part of our commitment to not just talk about sustainability but to make it a core aspect of our operations.”

For Hans Mize, president and founder of Data41, the company’s sustainability actions are due to recent legislative changes in California and increasing pressure from customers and employees.

“We’re based in [Irvine], and the local government, as well as various municipalities, place a significant emphasis on sustainability,” he said. “Our mantra has always been that clean air and clean water are good for everyone, regardless of the terminology we use.”

Jeffrey Jansen, vendor relationship officer at Edmonton, Alberta-based PC Corp, said the company’s focus has been on practical actions like installing LED lighting.

“We used to see ourselves only as enablers of business,” he said. “Now we understand that our actions have broader implications. We’re committed to reducing waste, promoting ethical manufacturing and ensuring responsible recycling.”

Utilize’s Hocking said the value of Trust X Alliance in sharing ideas helps everyone involved for the greater good.

“For small- and medium-size-business leaders, having a network of peers to share challenges and solutions is invaluable,” he said. “Tackling sustainability together amplifies our impact and drives meaningful change more effectively than working in isolation.”