HP Amplify Impact: What’s next for the sustainability programme?
Almost two years since its launch, there’s strong progress and an exciting future for the industry’s leading partner sustainability programme
There’s an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”. This sentiment summed up the rationale behind the launch of HP Amplify Impact, HP’s industry-first partner assessment, resource and training programme aimed at advancing sustainable impact.
Since 2021, HP has worked incredibly hard to engage and onboard as many partners as possible to the programme. The response has been overwhelming, with 80% of UK partners by revenue having signed the HP Amplify Impact Pledge.
Focused on climate action, human rights and digital equity, HP and its partners are now combining forces to address some of the critical challenges of our time. These are areas where OEMs and channel partners have an important role to play, and where our work is stronger together.
As well as being our responsibility, it is a competitive advantage. Customers are aligning themselves with organisations that prioritise sustainability, as evidenced by the $3.5bn in new HP sales influenced by sustainability in fiscal 2021.
To engage, you must challenge
Once a partner decides to sign up to the HP Amplify Impact programme, HP works with them to understand their current sustainability strengths and opportunities. We then share a report summarising the discussion and how they compare to similar organisations and sectors, in the UK and internationally – plus some key recommendations.
Partners are offered access to an online training platform with a range of courses, sales tools, marketing assets and compliance advice. These span a range of activities covering everything from making and communicating internal sustainability improvements, to external volunteering initiatives such as tree planting and beach clean-ups.
We also ask partners’ sales teams to log how much of their commercial new business is being driven by sustainability, where possible, on the HP Amplify Impact online platform. This helps us understand their progress and offer more direct, tailored support.
Crucially, the entire process is data-driven because HP bases its suggested goals on each partner’s sustainability report and the relevant peer-to-peer benchmarks. This also enables us to create bespoke training programmes for larger partner organisations.
However, this is no tick-box certification exercise. We work with partners to apply what they learn to drive new, more sustainable practices. These are real measures, such as appointing a specific board member who will take responsibility for sustainability performance, and the extent to which leadership is involved more broadly. Along with the value of requests for proposal (RFPs) won due to sustainability credentials, these are some of the metrics that matter most.
Encouraging results
At launch, we set the ambitious goal of voluntarily enrolling 50% of our partners globally in HP Amplify Impact by 2025. The UK is already ahead of this target; as well as the 80% of partners by revenue that have taken our pledge, more than 60% of UK partners now have an agreed sustainability plan in place.
The past two years have enabled us to learn more about how OEMs and channel partners can help promote more equitable supply chains and drive a circular and low-carbon economy, while still generating new business. In doing so, HP Amplify Impact has already proven to be useful as a step towards our goal of becoming the world’s most sustainable and just tech company.
The progress our partners are making
Our partners are telling us that they’re increasingly being judged on their sustainability credentials as part of the new business process. While bigger resellers can often afford to have their own strategies and teams dedicated to tackling this, many small and medium-sized resellers have requested extra support and guidance.
We’re also helping sales teams to constructively discuss sustainability with prospects and customers, to better communicate what their organisation is doing in the most effective way possible, and earn more revenue. Sustainability has become an open, evidence-based topic of conversation between HP account managers and our channel partners. Having these kinds of discussions regularly, and keeping them going, is one of the best examples of company culture evolving to make sustainability a priority.
Sharing his own experience with HP Amplify Impact, Will Carver, digital workplace and hybrid infrastructure manager at SCC, says: “Seeing an organisation like HP taking sustainability as seriously as SCC does is as refreshing as it is inspiring. Talking to customers about our core values and alignment with HP as a leading reason to work together is a real differentiator.
“We are already seeing a change in attitude from new business prospects when discussing sustainability. Being able to back that up with evidence – our own examples and supporting data – is a completely different approach that gets a much better response.
“SCC’s culture has been sustainability focused for some time, but it’s now become a core business offering, thanks to our partnership with HP. From device as a service (DVaaS) and waste reduction to CO2 impact assessments and recycling services, developing more circular economy offerings has deepened our relationships with customers. We’re looking forward to continuing this journey.”
It’s clear that the impact of the programme is not a one-way street. Because many partners, including SCC, are already deeply committed to sustainability, this has helped inform HP’s own sustainability practices, as well as the training and activities that HP Amplify Impact offers.
As such, the programme has been designed to support partners’ current efforts, as Antonella Rachieli, international partner alliance manager at SHI Corporation UK, explains: “Preserving the environment and fostering a sustainable future are already crucial principles for how SHI operates. But learning more about HP’s approach and how sustainability can be integrated has helped us keep these issues at the forefront of our plans, as well as our customers’ and partners’ priorities. It’s complemented the solutions we’re offering and what we’re doing as an organisation.”
Plans for year three and beyond
For all the early momentum and success, we still have big plans for the programme, so it feels like we are just getting started. We are going to be expanding HP Amplify Impact globally, to cover all our markets over the next two years with a phased roll-out.
We have also created the annual HP Amplify Impact Awards, with the inaugural event happening this month. We will be celebrating our partners and their sustainability achievements across five different categories, and winners will be provided with badges and marketing material to help promote their awards.
The real reward, of course, is seeing our partners succeed, and together doing our part to advance sustainable impact.
For additional details and material about HP Amplify Impact, you can visit the HP Partner Portal, or speak with your associated partner business manager who will be happy to help answer any questions you may have.
