Sustainability at Appical
At Appical, we are committed to embracing sustainability and making a positive impact. We are taking the first steps to becoming more sustainable. Our goal is twofold: to raise awareness among our employees and inspire them to take action, while also fulfilling the ambitious sustainability targets set by the Visma Group. On this page, we will share our perspectives on sustainability and the activities we are undertaking as a company.
ESG & Sustainability
Sustainability - and becoming more sustainable as a company - is often linked to lowering CO2 emissions. While this is an important part of becoming more sustainable, it is not the whole story. At Appical, we recognize that sustainability is about taking a holistic view that extends beyond just environmental issues.That's why we've adopted an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy, which covers sustainability's three pillars. This comprehensive approach ensures that we not only address our environmental impact but also take responsibility for the social and governance aspects of our operations.
Environment
Examples:
- Energy consumption and efficiency
- Carbon footprint
- Waste management
- Biodiversity loss
Social
Examples:
- Fair pay for employees
- Diversity, equity and inclusion programs
- Data protection
- Fair treatment of customers and suppliers
Governance
Examples:
- Financial transparency and business integrity
- Ethical business practices
- Board composition, including its diversity and structure
Appical & Visma
Within Visma, we need to comply with the set targets and report on all of these pillars on a yearly basis. As of 2024, this will be on a half-yearly basis which helps us to redirect in time if needed.
As part of our efforts, each Visma entity, including Appical, has appointed a dedicated sustainability coordinator. These coordinators are instrumental in reporting on sustainability targets and leading internal projects that promote sustainability.
Together, we are working towards a greener future.
Sustainability activities
In addition to meeting Visma's targets, we have the freedom to drive projects that bring value to a specific theme. This year, we have organized a series of small activities to raise awareness about environmental consciousness among our employees.
To encourage our team to get outside, enjoy the sunshine (when it's out), and stretch their legs during regular office days, we organized an 'Ommetje' challenge. We invited everyone to download the Ommetje app and track their walks. These walks promoted physical and mental health, brought us closer together and sparked some friendly competition within the team. Ultimately, we discovered that having a furry friend can be a great asset in such challenges!
Each year, Appical empowers its employees to take a day off work and dedicate their time to a cause dear to their hearts. Whether this is collecting clothes or volunteering at a local food bank.
To improve employee well-being, boost work performance, and ease stress, we provide mental support via our partner OpenUp. This platform offers mental support to our employees in very accessible ways. What's more, this support extends to the partners of our employees as well. With this, we hope to support our employees wherever they need it.
On December 14th, we participated in JINC's 'Bliksemstage' initiative for the first time. JINC collaborates with businesses and schools to create a society where a person's background doesn't determine their future. This program offers valuable opportunities to young children who may lack role models in their immediate environment.
During this event we hosted 11 children, approximately 12 years old, at our office. We demonstrated how our SaaS company operates and introduced them to various roles and responsibilities. They even took their first steps in creating an onboarding app themselves. We hope that this initiative marks the beginning of many more collaborations.
Together with other Visma entities we participated in a national Visma Clean-up Day in September, the first edition of a new tradition. Together with colleagues, we ventured out to collect litter around our office. The amount of garbage we encountered left us astonished, prompting us to keep the garbage grabbers for future use. Now, whenever weather conditions allow, we can take our grabbers along and continue our efforts to make our neighbourhood cleaner. This activity not only strengthened our team bond but also allowed us to contribute to the well-being of our community.
Sustainability Tip of the Month
Want to bring sustainability center stage at your workplace? Start by building awareness about sustainability among your employees! That's exactly what we did! We made sustainability a regular topic of discussion in our town hall meetings. This could involve sharing exciting news about sustainability-related activities or providing practical tips on the topic.
Sustainability blogs
Creating a sustainable onboarding journey: 9 Tips for a greener welcome
We've put together some practical tips for creating a more sustainable onboarding journey.
Small Changes, Big Impact: 25 Simple ways to improve sustainability in your workplace
Every office, no matter its size or industry, has the potential to make a positive impact on the environment. In this blog we will share 25 simple ways to improve sustainability in your workplace.
