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Westcon-Comstor appoints first Chief Sustainability Officer
Wed, 1st Nov 2023

Westcon-Comstor, a global expert provider and specialist distributor, has appointed Kevin Brzezinski as the company's inaugural Chief Sustainability Officer. This creation of a new role underscores the company's commitment to taking proactive measures on climate change and the environment.

Brzezinski, already an integral part of Westcon-Comstor's executive leadership team, will assume this additional role alongside his pre-existing position of Senior Vice-President of Global Operations, a title he has held for the past seven years.

As Chief Sustainability Officer, Brzezinski will drive the company's efforts to lessen its environmental impact and carbon footprint. This includes working with technology vendors and partners across the supply chain to foster a more sustainable IT channel.

As a US native now living in the UK, Brzezinski will guide Westcon Comstor's transition towards a low-carbon future, in line with the firm's goals of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.

Earlier in October, Westcon-Comstor affirmed its commitment to environmental action by becoming one of the first technology distributors to have its net-zero target validated by the globally recognised Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The SBTi also validated Westcon-Comstor's pledge to achieve a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, a 25% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030, and to ensure that 80% of its suppliers have science-based emission reduction targets by 2025.

The company has stated that it aims to meet 100% of its electricity requirements worldwide through renewable sources by 2030. It recently published its second Responsible Business report, which presents a detailed analysis of its global carbon emissions for the 2023 financial year (FY23).

Brzezinski expresses both the honour and responsibility in assuming a crucial role in Westcon-Comstor's sustainability efforts. As a responsible company, they are dedicated to fulfilling environmental responsibilities and have set ambitious emissions reduction targets. Brzezinski's primary responsibility is to ensure these targets are met. Additionally, he highlights establishing a capable ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) team and his excitement in leading them towards a stronger focus on sustainability, incorporating a data-driven approach to minimise their environmental footprint.

Brzezinski says: "It is both an honour and a responsibility to take on this role at such a pivotal point in Westcon-Comstor's sustainability journey. As a responsible business, we are committed to doing right by the planet, and as such, we have established ambitious emission-reduction targets. It is my job to make sure we meet them."

Brzezinski adds: "We have developed a very competent ESG team in recent years, and I am looking forward to leading them as we increase our focus on sustainability and incorporate a data-driven approach to minimising our environmental impact."

David Grant, CEO at Westcon-Comstor, expressed his support for Brzezinski, saying: "Kevin is a fantastic leader who has already made significant contributions to our work on sustainability and emissions reduction. We felt it was important to assign sustainability a C-suite-level role formally, and Kevin is undoubtedly the right person for the job."