There are some things you do because they are good for business, and there are some things you do simply because they are good. For Avanade, seeking a yearly sustainability assessment from EcoVadis is both. Having an external expert organization benchmark our sustainability efforts against our peers keeps us focused on the way we do business and it provides an important credential for our clients.

As Avanade strives to be the leading provider of innovative digital services, business solutions and design-led experiences, we also want to be sure we are a positive force in the global supply chain that includes our alliance partners and our clients and their customers. Organizations in all industries are seeking a commitment to integrity and sustainability from their business partners. Avanade has been dedicated to sustainable business practices throughout our 15-year history, and we are proud that our efforts are paying off.

Just as clients look to us to bring them the latest thinking around Microsoft technology, we look to EcoVadis to measure us against the latest benchmarks of sustainability. EcoVadis takes into account globally-accepted corporate social responsibility standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000. Its assessment covers 150 spend categories, 110 countries and 21 CSR measures.

In 2015, Avanade rose in the EcoVadis rankings from Bronze to Silver. Our improved ranking is largely attributable to a high score in “fair business practices,” which we emphasize through our Code of Business Ethics, regular training and compliance processes. Along with fair business practices, EcoVadis rates our company in the categories of environment, labor practices and sustainable procurement.  Having attained this ranking, we intend to improve further over the course of the next year.

Sustainability is one important component of corporate citizenship at Avanade. Over the past year, we have also committed to helping close the gender, technology and income gaps to enable women to better fulfill their potential. We are making strides in that area as well. We are offering financial support to women seeking STEM degrees at three universities with our 15 for 15 scholarship program. A global partnership with The Aspire Foundation gives our employees the opportunity to mentor women working in non-profits and social enterprises, and gives Avanade an avenue to help the non-profit sector.  We are proud to be a part of The Aspire Foundation’s goal to make a difference to 1 billion women by 2020.

EcoVadis looks at the big-picture impact of our corporate social responsibility efforts, and having that barometer is important. But at its core, corporate social responsibility is driven by individual actions. To that end, Avanade is committed to create policies and foster a culture that encourages our employees and suppliers to be good corporate citizens, stewards of the planet and a force for good.

Watch for Avanade’s report on our corporate citizenship progress later in 2016!