We are proud to have achieved a score of 242 in our first Economy for the Common Good report. This result shows that we are on the right path to aligning our company more socially and ecologically and continuously improving it.
Our values as the foundation for sustainable action
Innovation, passion, responsibility, trust and appreciation characterize our entrepreneurial activities. In order to live up to this claim, we have decided to look beyond mere financial figures. With the Economy for the Common Good Report (ECG), we want to challenge ourselves and take responsibility for our economic actions. The ECG report provides us with a comprehensive framework for addressing both social and environmental sustainability issues in a targeted manner and documenting our progress transparently.
Committed on the way
As a provider of SAP ERP solutions for Swiss SMEs, AGILITA is committed to creating added value for society through innovative IT solutions.
AGILITA has been supporting the INKIINO social project in Ethiopia, which provides orphans with access to education and digital resources, for over 10 years. The aim is to promote digital skills and create a sustainable basis in the IT sector. Even without a sustainability report, AGILITA has already made a conscious choice of suppliers and products in the past as a matter of course, placing particular emphasis on quality, durability and regionality.
The increasing requirements in the area of regulation and the biggest global challenges, climate change, which is also changing the way customers are used to doing business, have led us to pay more attention to the topic of sustainability. The Economy for the Common Good gives us the opportunity to look beyond our previous successes, discover new potential and continuously develop ourselves further.
AGILITA in the MATRIX
The report is based on the common good matrix, which consists of various touch groups and values. This matrix shows how the company’s activities influence the common good. In the evaluation process, AGILITA is classified on a scale that measures the level of development of the individual values within the company. On this basis, 20 subject areas are identified for reporting. A central aim of the ECG is to critically reflect on corporate actions and identify potential for improvement. Reporting encourages companies to set specific targets in order to continuously develop their social and environmental performance.
Did you know?
The progressiveness of a company is assessed on a point scale from -3600 to 1000. A score of 0 means that the company meets the legal standards but does not take any measures for the common good that go beyond this. Negative scores indicate that the company does not comply with legal requirements and therefore harms the common good. Positive scores, on the other hand, reflect that a company not only complies with legal requirements, but also takes voluntary measures that actively promote the common good.
Implementation
As a first step towards implementing the ECG, AGILITA launched a project in fall 2023 in collaboration with students on the ZHAW Bachelor’s degree course in Environmental Engineering. As part of the Sustainability Management in Companies module, the students dealt intensively with ECG reporting and the development of sustainable measures. This collaboration provided us with valuable and fresh perspectives and creative approaches for our sustainability strategy. We have already implemented initial measures based on their recommendations.
In the second phase of reporting, our focus was on closing the data gaps identified in the project with the students. Together with the Finance, HR and Internal Sales departments, the necessary data was collected and analyzed in detail. This enabled us to provide more precise information in the areas of “Suppliers”, “Owners & Financial Partners” and “Employees”. Based on the students’ suggestions for improvement and our own considerations, we have developed measures to further optimize our actions in these areas.
Learning #1
Supplier management! As a consulting company, we also have suppliers who provide us with IT, office supplies or electricity, for example. Checking orders and suppliers retrospectively for labels and certifications is time-consuming. With clear procurement guidelines and the corresponding processes, suppliers and products can be selected according to clear criteria. For our manageable number of suppliers, a continuously updated supplier list helps us to make our procurement process transparent.
Audit
On August 12, 2024, we welcomed a GWÖ auditor and a learning auditor to our office in Wallisellen. Together with the departments concerned, all the necessary evidence was presented to verify the accuracy of our report.
We were particularly pleased that we scored much better in some areas than in our self-assessment. For example, in the area of social attitude in dealing with funds and in the areas of socio-ecological investments and use of funds as well as internal co-decision and transparency.
Another issue that is close to our hearts is human dignity in the supply chain. Here we have recognized that our previous focus was strongly on ecological sustainability, while we have so far paid too little attention to the social aspects of the supply chain. This is an area that we will specifically address in the future.
Learning #2
Involve auditors right from the start! It makes sense to involve the auditors at an early stage, and not only for companies that have to deal with complex processes and a large number of suppliers and stakeholders. In this way, potential weaknesses and areas for improvement can be identified during the reporting process and rectified in good time. This not only increases the quality of the report, but also reduces potential corrections and rework later on in the process. When selecting auditors, make sure that they have in-depth industry knowledge. This not only enables a more precise analysis, but also concrete recommendations for action that bring about real progress.
Implementation of the measures
After the audit, the real work begins. Now it’s time to put plans into action. We have divided the identified measures and potential for improvement into short-term and long-term goals. The aim is to implement the short-term measures within the next two years and to present our progress in the 2026 reporting period.
We will focus on the following topics:
- Optimization of data collection for more precise and reliable information
- Expansion of the internal procurement compass to include social aspects
- Strengthening sustainability awareness among our employees
It is clear that there is still a lot to do. With this starting position created, we are motivated to take the next steps – motivated by customers who are already one step ahead, driven to be a role model for other companies and spurred on by the numerous opportunities that we expect from the process. The future is in our hands and we are ready to play an active role in shaping it.
Learning #3
Formulate achievable and ambitious goals. With a mix of goals that can be achieved with relatively simple measures and goals that are bold and challenging, we celebrate initial successes that motivate us to achieve our long-term and strategic goals.
Download the GWÖ Report 2023 from AGILITA AG now!
