SpacetoCo’s commitment to ESG principles is central to our operations and values. We aim to lead by example, demonstrating that businesses can thrive while promoting environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance.
Introduction
SpacetoCo is committed to conducting its business in an environmentally sustainable, socially responsible, and ethically governed manner. As a company that operates within the sharing economy around the sustainable sharing of built assets, we believe that our role is to create positive, lasting impact while integrating ESG principles into the core of our operations. This policy outlines our approach to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and governance practices.
Environmental (E)
SpacetoCo is committed to reducing its environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future. Our practices focus on maximising the efficient use of existing resources, promoting sustainability, and mitigating our ecological footprint through the following initiatives:
Company Culture
SpacetoCo operates as a remote-first company, reducing the need for office space and minimizing energy consumption, waste, and carbon emissions associated with commuting and maintaining a physical office. We promote a paperless workplace, reduce plastic waste, and encourage the use of public transport and carpooling among our employees.
Energy Management
As a cloud-based platform, we minimise energy use by relying on energy-efficient technologies, including laptops and monitors. SpacetoCo is a fully cloud-based solution. Our hosting is powered by Amazon Web Services, which is committed to sustainability and responsible energy use in their data centres including a climate pledge of achieving net zero target by 2040. As we have no office, fuel including natural gas is not utilised. When teams work in a central location, they are in a co-working situation with shared resource requirements. We are a remote-first business which leads to less commuting and transport requirements.
Resource Management and Circular Economy
We avoid generating excess office waste by not maintaining a dedicated office and instead operate digitally. We encourage the sustainable use of spaces through our marketplace, where we promote the sharing of venues to reduce the need for new infrastructure and decrease resource consumption as well as adopting circular economy principles in all of our business practices throughout. Recycling and waste separation is utilised at the co-working facility.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
SpacetoCo’s operations are designed to limit emissions through remote working and shared economy services. We are attentive to offset opportunities for our emissions through the way we operate and the services we offer. Given our minimal impact, we are mindful of the GHG emissions from our source suppliers.
Solid Waste Management
We encourage employees to extend the lifecycle of their IT equipment rather than frequently replacing devices. When devices reach the end of their useful life, we promote responsible recycling, utilising e-recycling services to ensure minimal waste. We do not produce solid waste through our operation.
Water Management
Water management is not within the scope of SpacetoCo’s operations, therefore, it can be assumed that SpacetoCo offsets its water consumption by operating with minimal physical infrastructure and promoting sustainable practices in the sharing of spaces, reducing the demand for water resources.
Transportation
We promote the use of sustainable vehicles and support public transport by subsidising public transport costs for our employees. This reduces the need for individual car travel and helps limit transportation-related emissions.
SpacetoCo breaks transportation into the following four categories: (GHGAP):
(i) owned vehicles (scope 1) SpacetoCo has no vehicles
(ii) Business travel (scope 3 category 6) - all travel for the purposes of SpacetoCo’s business is limited. We encourage virtual meetings whenever possible and reasonable.
(iii) Employee commuting - emissions associated for workers going to and from the office is minimal; an EV employee salary sacrifice scheme is in place; 70% of people in Perth who commute take public transport versus driving.
(iv) upstream transportation is limited/negligible.
Partnerships and Providers
SpacetoCo ensures that its partners, contractors, and suppliers share our commitment to sustainability. When engaging with external providers, we consider their environmental policies and practices to ensure alignment with our values.
Social (S)
SpacetoCo is committed to fostering a positive social impact through a focus on our employees, customers, and the communities we serve. We proactively engage with key stakeholders on sustainable development challenges and opportunities. We prioritise inclusivity, social equity, and well-being in the following areas:
Diversity and Inclusion
We are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that values the contributions of all employees. We aim to foster an environment where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are respected and celebrated. We attract and retain top talent by fostering a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture where everyone can succeed.
Employee Well-being
As a remote-first company, SpacetoCo supports flexible working arrangements to ensure the well-being and work-life balance of our employees. We provide opportunities for personal development, mental and physical health, and wellness programs.
- Our well-being program can be found here:https://spacetoco.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPACETOCO/pages/1675755521/Team+Performance+How+We+Manage
- Our Culture Club initiative can be found here: https://spacetoco.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPACETOCO/pages/1615593473/Wellness+Program+Supporting+Team+Health+and+Mental+Well-Being
- Each member of the team has a Professional Learning Budget
- Each member of the team has a company Advocate, looking after their career progression and wellness
- The company engages in tri-weekly team time to connect about topics NOT related to work online.
Community Engagement
SpacetoCo encourages employees to participate in community outreach and volunteer opportunities. We support initiatives that promote sustainable practices, social equity, and community development. The platform supports social interaction by bringing people together.
SpacetoCo actively supports the Community Centre/NFP sector through sponsorship at conferences with NHVic, Linkwest, Community Centres SA and provide the community Co-Lab - a free online webinar
Customer Engagement
Our platform promotes positive user experiences by making the booking of venues and spaces efficient, sustainable, and accessible to all. We aim to provide an inclusive, transparent service that meets the diverse needs of our customers.
Governance (G)
SpacetoCo is committed to ethical governance and transparent decision-making. We strive to uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and fairness across all levels of our organisation:
Ethical Business Practices
We adhere to ethical business standards, including transparency in our operations, honesty in customer dealings, and strict adherence to relevant laws and regulations. Our employees, contractors, and partners are held to high ethical standards, with a zero-tolerance policy for corruption or unethical behaviour.
- Our Co-mmandments are found here: https://spacetoco.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPACETOCO/pages/1787756661/The+SpacetoCo+Co-mmandments
- Our Ethics and Compliance Policy is found here: https://spacetoco.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/PH/pages/1857553053/Ethics+Risk+Management+and+Compliance+Review+Procedure
Accountability and Oversight
SpacetoCo’s management is responsible for ensuring that the ESG principles are integrated into our operations and that we continuously review and improve our practices. We conduct annual reviews of this policy to assess its effectiveness and ensure that we remain aligned with our sustainability goals.
Data Privacy and Security
We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of customer data. SpacetoCo complies with relevant data protection regulations, including GDPR, to ensure that user data is handled responsibly and securely. SpacetoCo is currently undertaking ISO 207001 certification.
- Our Privacy Policy is found here: https://support.spacetoco.com/spacetoco-privacy-policy
Corporate Governance
Our board of directors is composed of individuals who bring diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise to ensure strong governance and decision-making. We are committed to transparency in our corporate reporting and aim to provide stakeholders with clear insights into our performance annually.
Conclusion
SpacetoCo’s commitment to ESG principles is central to our operations and values. We aim to lead by example, demonstrating that businesses can thrive while promoting environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ethical governance. Through continuous improvement, transparent communication, and a focus on responsible practices, we strive to build a better future for our employees, customers, communities, and the planet.
This ESG policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect our evolving practices and commitments.
This ESG policy aligns with the values and sustainability initiatives of SpacetoCo, ensuring that all actions taken are in support of long-term positive environmental, social, and governance outcomes.
Our Aims:
1) Our operations - we will endeavour to calculate our emissions (excl. rental given the difficulty of this) and achieve carbon-neutral status by 2050 (or earlier)
2) Our Partners - We will work with our partners to improve the sustainability of sites, by bringing awareness of potential efficiency measures in all new spaces we bring onboard
3) Our clients - we bring awareness to our clients to embed sustainable behaviours in the use of shared spaces. Could implement surveys to get feedback from them (likewise with Partners)
4) We consistently strive to review our practices across sustainability and embed this into our governance annually