Westcon’s award-winning approach to supplier engagement and sustainability

What led Westcon to adopt Position Green’s software?

At Westcon, we needed a better way to manage supplier engagement, improve transparency, and facilitate data sharing within our supply chain. The challenge was understanding what environmental and social data our suppliers were collecting, and in what format.

Previously, we attempted to conduct this assessment manually, often relying on suppliers’ sustainability reports and inputting the information into Excel spreadsheets. This process was time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the data was often outdated by the time it was compiled.

We were already familiar with Position Green’s software from a previous experience using it with a partner, which showcased its intuitive and user-friendly interface. Since working with their software, we now have a centralized system for supplier information, eliminating the limitations of spreadsheets and ensuring our sustainability data is accurate and up-to-date.

This has allowed us to focus on strategic initiatives rather than getting bogged down in manual data entry and version control issues. It also gave us a better overview of our supply chain and improved engagement with our suppliers.

How does Position Green help manage supplier engagement across a diverse supply chain?

Position Green’s software streamlined our entire supplier engagement process, consolidating all the information in one place instead of scattered across multiple spreadsheets. This centralized approach allows us to analyze supplier data, track response statuses, and identify topics to prioritize for follow-up activities.

The platform allows multiple contributors to participate in surveys, meaning suppliers can delegate specific sections of the questionnaire to the right people. This has reduced the burden on individual respondents, making the process more efficient. The platform’s flexibility has allowed us to refine our questionnaires, making them less time-consuming and more effective.

By improving the surveys to better suit our suppliers’ needs, we’ve made the process smoother and strengthened our relationships with them.

How did the use of Position Green’s platform enhance Westcon’s relationship with their suppliers?

One of the most important changes to our supplier engagement initiative through Position Green has been the ability to deliver value back to our suppliers. The platform has enabled us to benchmark suppliers against peers and assess their maturity. From here, we hold follow-up meetings with our suppliers where we are able to strategize on how to address the identified gaps.

This collaborative approach has strengthened our relationships and leads to more trusting and mutually-beneficial partnerships.

These insights have allowed Westcon to hold more focused and structured meetings with suppliers. Discussions are now guided by clear, agenda-driven topics based on data insights and analytics, leading to more purposeful interactions.

Suppliers are also better prepared for these meetings, familiar with the data collection process, which has streamlined efforts for critical projects like Westcon’s Double Materiality Assessment.

By being consistent and specific in our data requests, we reduce the burden on suppliers and improve the quality of the data we receive. Our suppliers have become more familiar with the reporting process, which made engagement during our Double Materiality Assessment much smoother.

“Position Green played a key role in strengthening our relationships with suppliers.”

Sarah McGaw,
ESG lead, EMEA at Westcon

Westcon recently won an award for their sustainability work, can you tell us more about it?

We’re proud to have been awarded “Best Sustainability Project/Initiative of the Year” at the CRN Channel Awards 2024 for our stakeholder engagement initiative. This is the second year in a row we’ve been recognized for our sustainability efforts, and it’s a testament to the hard work we’ve put into building strong relationships with our suppliers and partners.

Navigating supply chains is notoriously challenging, so winning an award specifically for stakeholder engagement is particularly meaningful. It highlights our commitment to sustainability and the effectiveness of our approach.

Tools like Position Green have been instrumental in driving this success, helping us collect and analyze data in a way that adds value for everyone involved.

What has your sustainability journey with Position Green looked like?

Our initial focus was on engaging our largest suppliers to establish a baseline for our sustainability data. This allowed us to identify gaps and develop strategies for improvement. 

Westcon’s use of Position Green’s platform has enabled us to take a more comprehensive approach. So far we’ve developed a robust process for engaging with suppliers and plan to use the platform as a flexible tool to adapt and improve our surveys year on year.

Position Green not only supported with the mechanics of the questionnaires, but their team also gave tips and recommendations on how to better structure surveys and to improve the experience for respondents.

We are able to see real-time updates in the dashboard as survey responses are submitted, massively reducing the burden of manual updates and increasing our insight into our supply chain. The cooperation between our ESG and legal teams has also been enhanced, improving our preparedness for reporting standards.

What’s next for Westcon’s sustainability journey and their use of the platform?

Looking ahead, our goal is to expand our approach to include more suppliers upstream. We plan to tailor questionnaires to specific supplier groups and industries, further reducing reporting burdens and enhancing relationships. By collecting data further upstream, we aim to improve supply chain visibility and prepare for future regulations.

The platform’s tagging capabilities have enabled us to map our supply chain and conduct human rights due diligence. Westcon, as well as many companies, will be required to report under upcoming mandates such as CSRD and CSDDD. Our use of the platform so far makes us feel well-positioned to meet evolving reporting standards and make meaningful progress in our sustainability journey.

By implementing our stakeholder engagement initiative, our suppliers are much more familiar and comfortable with the data collection practices that will be necessary for future compliance with reporting frameworks. Position Green’s tools are also built to enhance interoperability, meaning that in the future Westcon can avoid the burden of double-reporting.

Does Westcon have any advice for companies in similar industries?

We’re still early in our sustainability journey, focusing on foundational data collection and calculating our carbon footprint. But we’ve learned a lot along the way, and we’re happy to share some advice with others in the distribution sector. First, be very specific about what you’re trying to achieve and the data you need to get there. Think ahead about how you might need to use this data in the future, as regulatory landscapes are always shifting.

Also, consider the burden on your suppliers when designing surveys. Smaller teams can get overwhelmed, so making the process efficient and constructive benefits everyone. Finally, don’t rush into reporting until you have a robust process in place. By setting strong foundations and focusing on meaningful engagement, you can make significant progress in your sustainability efforts.

It’s a journey, but with the right tools and approach, it’s one that can lead to real, lasting impact. Position Green has been a key partner for us, and we highly recommend taking a thoughtful, strategic approach to sustainability.

With these processes aligned and ready to be improved for next year, Ependion feel more confident and ambitious with their DMAs and sustainability strategy than they did before they started.

About Westcon-Comstor

Westcon-Comstor is a global technology provider and specialist distributor that connects IT channel partners with the world’s leading IT vendors. They specialise in distributing cybersecurity, networking, data centre, and cloud infrastructure solutions.


Westcon’s approach stems from a genuine care and commitment to Partner Success. They pride themselves on partnering with leading technology vendors to deliver outcomes for customers in more than 70 countries.


Over the years, Westcon has established itself as a trusted adviser in the IT channel, helping businesses navigate the complexities of the modern technology landscape. We combine our industry insight, technical know-how and decades of distribution experience to deliver business success for our vendors and partners.

Read more about Westcon’s work in their Responsible Business report.