CSR policy

CSR is another way of doing business. Not an obstacle to it.

Since the very beginning of SLTN, we have been aware of the need for corporate social responsibility. For the past two years, we have been fully engaged with taking this responsibility.

SLTN breaks it down into several key areas:

• Work for vulnerable groups (social return)
• Employability Human development
• Circular Economy
• Energy efficiency and renewable energy
• Sustainable procurement
• Data protection

Our corporate social responsibility focuses on the three Ps: People, Planet and Profit.

People

Since 2008, SLTN has been recognised as an internship company and we train 8-10 interns per year for a future in IT. Some of them stay at SLTN; others move on to other companies or continue their education. In the near future, SLTN will be starting up an academy with the aim of selecting candidates and then offering them training to help them move forward in the employment process.

SLTN likes to give as many opportunities as possible to people with employment disadvantages or physical disabilities. SLTN’s building has been made accessible to this group. SLTN has always endeavoured to allow these employees to perform work within their capabilities.

SLTN’s employment policy stipulates that employees will be offered a broad range of fringe benefits. Having a limited management layer means employees can freely plan for their future. They can count on getting extra support when they do voluntary work, engage in sports activities or do other work in the public interest. SLTN’s building in Hilversum has a private gym that all employees can use. There are also facilities for staff to play computer games, table football, darts or billiards.

SLTN likes to give something back to society, and social return is increasingly becoming part of our DNA. SLTN has supported the Assistance Dog Foundation (Stichting Hulphond) and the Bobbie and Robine Foundation (Bobbie en Robine Stichting) for many years, and is also donating resources and financial gifts to the Horse Seeks Master Foundation (Stichting Paard Zoekt Baas) at the moment. SLTN is the main sponsor of Indoor Friesland and annually donates 250 tickets for disadvantaged people. Additionally, it frequently arranges fundraising events for various charities. SLTN also outsources specialists to its customers. The company is NEN 4400-certified to ensure this is done fairly and with appropriate remuneration.

All SLTN professionals are based in the Netherlands. SLTN does not use offshoring or nearshoring, and even the 24/7 helpdesk is located on the Hilversum site. In this way, SLTN contributes to work opportunities in the Netherlands.

Planet

SLTN acknowledges its responsibility for the use of mineral raw materials and the impact of its CO₂ emissions on the environment. Every year, a consumption report is prepared and shared with staff. SLTN has two focal points for reducing consumption: electricity and mobility.

The site in Hilversum uses no gas whatsoever and has the A energy label. The building has a heat pump and a climate control system. The consumption of electricity has increased slightly because of the increase in FTE and also because of the company car fleet transitioning to electric. SLTN now has three charging points and two connections. Electric vehicles are gaining in popularity, so these charging points are used a lot more than they were six months ago. Replacing petrol and diesel lease vehicles with 100% electric vehicles will cause a positive shift in SLTN’s emissions.

In 2018, SLTN started replacing all its regular fluorescent lighting with energy efficient LED alternatives. First, a test was set up in one room and the best options were chosen in terms of light, appearance and energy consumption.

Since 2019, SLTN has been monitoring sorted waste. We spoke to the waste processing company and thought about ways in which to reduce that waste. At our Hilversum site, we have introduced various bins where staff can collect plastic, glass, paper, bulbs and toners. The other waste is compressed to the smallest possible size, so that it can be processed more easily. Waste delivered to the site in Almere is sorted by the waste processing company after collection. SLTN makes a distinction between non-recyclable waste and paper/cardboard. Existing packaging such as pallets, boxes and filling materials is reused wherever possible. From 2019, SLTN has been asking its suppliers not to use polystyrene as protection but rather a cardboard ‘egg box’ construction that is much less damaging to the environment.

SLTN regularly simulates environmental incidents to make sure employees are prepared. The greatest risk is leakage from cars parked in the car park under the site. A successful simulation has been conducted for this. SLTN has also decided to install two extra charging points outdoors, given the potential consequences of short circuits in electric vehicle batteries.

SLTN staff regularly have to work for clients. To reduce commuting, they have the option to work remotely. SLTN’s extensive mobility plan also advises employees to use public transport, bicycles or electric bicycles as much as possible, and we challenge our lease companies to come up with solutions that reduce energy such as sharing resources or combining transport. SLTN closely monitors these developments.

Profit

In 2019, SLTN entered into an agreement with Solid Circle for the certified disposal of electronic waste. Solid Circle is fully Weeelabex certified. In this way, SLTN contributes to responsible disposal and recycling of redundant electrical goods. SLTN also advises clients on doing the same and on using a data centre as much as possible. That way, the client saves energy, a lot of workload is reduced in areas such as monitoring computers, managing errors and providing security. The facilities in a data centre are often at a higher level, meaning that equipment is protected against improper use.

SLTN aims to make an active and positive contribution to the supply chain, from the extraction of raw materials to the production of goods including shipping. We support initiatives in this area such as Electronics Watch and EcoVadis. Recently, SLTN took part in a “chain letter” sent by a university hospital in partnership with Electronics Watch. This letter is an attempt to trace the entire chain. In this case, it concerns the HPE and Dell server products. The investigation is still underway at this time.

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