As climate change and the environmental state of our world are on the minds of many, Axis Communications, the world leader in network video and surveillance solutions, has released its 2022 Sustainability Report.
The comprehensive study highlights the company’s various efforts to promote sustainability throughout its business, and how those efforts go beyond simple product design and manufacturing to encompass entire value and supply chains.
With more than 4,200 employees located across 50 countries worldwide, and an expansive network of technology partners and distributors, the Axis family stretches far and wide and touches every corner of our planet. We therefore have a responsibility to proactively confront socioeconomic and environmental issues, as well as deploy measures that help position us as an industry leader in sustainability.
Atul Rajput, EMEA Director of Channel Partners and End Customers, Axis
Guided by the Axis Environmental Policy and Environmental strategy, Axis takes an unwavering position on its impact on the environment. As South Africa deliberates on new legislation that enables the development of an effective climate change response and a long-term transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy, all national and industry stakeholders must take heed and reflect current trends in environmental responsibility.
In 2022, Axis committed to setting science-based emissions reduction targets. This provides a clearly defined guideline for companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with what the latest scientific findings deem necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. By developing these targets, which will then be reviewed by the Science Based Targets initiative, Axis establishes a company-wide standard that all suppliers and partners will be expected to adhere to.
Axis has also increased its use of recycled and renewable materials in its product packaging, pushing the limits of traditional fibre-based materials like paper and corrugated cardboard, while lowering transport emissions by manufacturing and configuring Axis products as close to each market as possible.
Looking further ahead, Axis and its suppliers are taking action to ensure 50% of energy use in manufacturing and logistics will be derived from renewable sources by 2024, and 100% by 2030. This action is reflected across all areas of operation, including the company’s main offices in Grenden, Sweden, where all lights have been changed to LED and systems have been put on timers to reduce energy consumption.
As a supporter of the UN Agenda 2030 and working to help achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Axis believes change happens holistically. That change begins at a product design and manufacturing level, where it’s possible to develop and adopt new technologies that promote sustainability, strengthen people’s rights, and safeguard individual privacy.
Across the value chain, energy consumption during usage has the largest environmental impact once Axis products and solutions are in use, which is why Axis strives to reduce energy by designing power supplies that emit minimal waste such as heat and electrical noise.
Cybersecurity is also a priority, especially in the context of interconnected networks. Here, Axis applies best-practice policies, processes, and technologies from product development to decommissioning, ensuring reliability and the confidentiality of end user and product information.
In 2022, Axis extended the scope of its ISO/IEC 27001 certification to include the development and operation of its software platform for connected devices. As an internationally recognised standard, this compliance demonstrates commitment to managing internal information infrastructure and systems that support and deliver services to partners and customers.
Axis’s commitment to people extends beyond its business community and into the local communities in which the company operates. The company’s various initiatives throughout 2022 in the EMEA region included a Women in Security event with focus areas including impactful communication, and donations to The Children’s Jumper Day.
One of the leading examples of Axis’s corporate social responsibility initiatives in South Africa was its support of the Southern African Wildlife College, a non-profit organisation that aims to equip students with the required knowledge and skills to protect the country’s natural resources and biodiversity. As part of its sponsorship, Axis donated network cameras to help protect the college’s canine unit, a valuable part of its learning-by-doing approach to combat wildlife poaching.
Our CSR work reflects how empowering people and institutions can lead to effective, on-the-ground change. This forms a critical part of any company’s sustainability efforts. And by supporting organisations like the college, we can make a real difference in people’s lives and the world around us.
Atul Rajput, EMEA Director of Channel Partners and End Customers, Axis
