Environmental, Social & Governance

Vista’s ESG mission is to maintain a profitable and sustainable business built upon its strong culture of social responsibility, a desire to protect our environment and to have a positive impact on both our local community and the wider world. It is Vista’s objective to maintain industry-leading ethical standards and in so doing, take good care of and develop our colleagues, promote fairness and equality and demonstrate exemplary organisational governance.

The ESG auditor commented on Vista’s 2023 ESG report results:
“Vista scored very highly on all aspects of ESG that was assessed,
and the business sits in the upper range of developing ESG and
only 1% off Advanced status. It’s anticipated that with the ESG
strategy the business has in place that they achieve
Advanced status by Q4 2025”.

Environmental Commitments and Policy

Vista Technology Support understands that to have a meaningful impact on our environment, we need to introduce relevant measurements of organisational environmental impact and take decisive positive action to address environmental issues we face.

As an IT services provider Vista does not manufacturer any equipment, materials or substances that could negatively impact our environment. We do, however, procure, stage, deliver, install and decommission technology for customers throughout the UK and Europe. Therefore, the areas of focus contained with Vista’s Environmental and Sustainability policy and our commitments are highlighted as follows:

Energy - Reduction and Renewables

Vista monitors and measures the use of energy. As Vista does not manufacturer products, our consumption of electricity across the business is similar to that of a medium-sized office block. We encourage colleagues to “switch off equipment when not in use” and we have also automated many lights and office equipment to power down when not in use. Our buildings have been fitted with low-energy light fittings. From the electricity we consume, 51% is sourced from zero-carbon emissions or renewable sources with plans to achieve over 90% from these sources by 2025.

Vehicles and Fuel Usage

Vista has a fleet of over 130 vehicles most of which are diesel vans. Our plans are to replace this fleet with hybrid or fully electric vehicles as soon as the current leases expire and when electric vehicles become a viable option from a range and charging practicability perspective. In the meantime, Vista has invested in a service management mobile application that assists field engineering planning, so the engineers’ working days are planned in the most energy efficient manner. In 2023 Vista is committed to further investment in this technology.

NetZero Carbon Footprint Commitment

Vista’s 2022 carbon footprint was 600 tonnes. Our commitment is to continue to invest in new technologies, vehicles and processes to reduce our carbon emissions to net- zero.

In the short-term we will commit to offsetting our carbon emissions by donating to reforestation and afforestation projects and planting our own carbon consuming plants and shrubs in the grounds of our offices. Vista is also committed to involvement in local environmental initiatives and schemes.

Electrical and Electronic Waste Management

The team at Vista is immensely proud of its achievements when it comes to preventing electronic waste going to landfill. Vista has a state-of-the-art repair facility based in South Wales where the team of expert IT and electronics repair technicians are able to repair 97% of our customers’ defective IT equipment in-house. Furthermore the remaining 3% is sent to our electronics recycling partner who either re-use or recycle 100% of this equipment. The net result is 0% landfill and a complete circular economy.

Vista also decommissions legacy IT and EPoS equipment from our customers’ stores, restaurants and pharmacies environments. We work with our customers to re-sell, re-purpose or if all other avenues fail, recycle the waste technology. To date, Vista has prevented over 125 tonnes of electrical waste that couldn’t be re-sold or re-purposed from going to landfill through recycling.

Eradicate Single-use Plastics

Vista is proud of the fact that we do not introduce any new single-use plastics during the course of providing our services. Our biggest challenge remains packaging waste from legacy IT hardware. Unfortunately legacy technology needs to be transported safely and securely and due to the age of the products, the original manufacturers’ packaging will no longer be available. In this instance our Warehouse and Logistics team often design new re-usable packaging. Vista is committed to continue to invest in new re-usable or biodegradable forms of packaging.

Environmental Policy, Process and Governance

Vista Technology Support aims to minimise the impact that our business has on the environment, with a desire to leave the world in a better place than we found it. We understand that all businesses have a responsibility to take the lead in protecting the planet and by collaborating with our customers, business partners, suppliers and colleagues address environmental issues and ensure products and services are ethically sourced and sustainable.

Vista’s environmental objectives are to measure our business’ material environmental impact and commit to measurable outcomes that reduce waste and minimise harmful carbon emissions.

We shall:

· Promote responsibility for the environment within the organisation and communicate and implement this policy at all levels within our workforce

· Establish an ESG committee that reviews environmental objectives and ensures these evolve as we continuously improve

· Engage with sustainability experts who will independently assess, monitor and measure the use of energy and switch to renewable energy sources wherever possible

· Reduce energy consumption – drive efficiency through the use of emerging technologies

· Minimise waste by reduction, re-use, re-purpose and recycling methods

· Achieve zero waste to landfill by 2025

· Achieve carbon monitored status by 2024

· Achieve carbon neutral status by 2026

· Irradicate the need for single use plastics in the business and find alternative sustainable environmentally friendly packaging.

· Comply with all relevant environmental legislation/regulations

· Ensure that our processes and services are developed in a way that is complementary to this policy

· Identify and provide appropriate training, advice and information for staff and encourage them to develop new ideas and initiatives

· Promote and encourage involvement in local environmental initiatives/schemes

· Adherence to ISO 14001 with full accreditation by 2025

Vista’s Social Responsibility Commitments

Vista is immensely proud of the culture we have created within the business. Our colleagues genuinely care about the success of the company, their colleagues and our customers. Vista encourages openness, empathy and respect for one another.

Our People and Culture

Vista values our people and we all strive to work as one team and in partnership with our customers and suppliers. Vista Technology Support continues to invest significantly in our people and are proud to have retained our Investors in People accreditation for several years.

We consider ourselves to be personable and approachable and hold these attributes up as being key when putting our core values into actions.

Vista has an excellent recruitment track record. We run a successful apprenticeship programme where apprentices can learn in a safe and specialist work environment whilst they attend local colleges to support their academic learning. Vista has also demonstrated supporting career progression for many of its employees with around 80% of middle and senior managers having been promoted into their roles; many of whom started their careers in Vista in junior positions.

Vista strives to create a workplace in which there is mutual trust and respect and where every person feels responsible for the performance and reputation of our business.

Vista trains all colleagues on its code of conduct, our values and behaviours are also well documented within our staff handbooks.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion

Vista has a clearly defined Equal Opportunities Policy in place. We are very proud that 50% of our executive board members are female and we strive to encourage more women to take up roles in all areas of the business including field service engineering, repair and middle to senior management roles. Currently 84% of colleagues are male with 16% being female. 33% of managers within the business are female.

Ethnicity

We are very proud that Vista has an ethnically diverse workforce and employs colleagues from over 10 different ethnic backgrounds.

Anti-bribery and Conflict of Interest Policies

Vista has well-established policies and procedures in place in relation to anti-bribery and conflicts of interests. All colleagues are provided with these policies and they also form part of the terms of the contracts of employment. Conflict of interest also forms part of our Executive Director agreements and permission has to be sort for individuals to take up additional employment. HR background checks are carried out for all new starters and depending on the exact role DBS checks may be required.

All charitable donations are made with the approval of the Vista Social Committee and Executive Board.

Whistleblowing

Vista provides its employees with a Concerns at Work policy which clearly defines what action they can take in the unlikely event that they believe a Vista employee or the business is in serious breach of company policy, or have witnessed unlawful or immoral activity within the company. Our Concerns at Work Policy offers colleagues access to external independent advisors as well as an internal escalation path.

Promoting Health and Safety

Vista prides itself on providing a safe-working environment for our colleagues and has an exemplary track record in relation to work-related accidents and health concerns. We have invested in a Health and Safety Management System which is provided by our Health and Safety consultants, Thomas Carroll, which enables department managers to conduct risk assessments and implement remedial actions. Thomas Carroll also provides on-going advice and support as well as annual audits.

Vista’s Executive Board meets on a regular basis to review our health and safety management reporting, accidents and near-misses. The business also has Director representation at all Health and Safety Committee meetings.

Vista employees are trained and accredited under the Safe Contractor scheme, the McDonald’s Safety Passport Scheme, MAGS fire and asbestos as part of UK airports.

Social Committee

Vista’s employees play a significant part in our Social Committee. Its aim is to introduce fun work and social activities in which our colleagues can participate. The team meets on a regular basis and discusses plans for office-based activities that will be inclusive. These activities range from charitable initiatives (such as fundraisers) to planning nights out and other office based colleague focused events.

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Employee Reward and Recognition

Vista’s employees all have regular one-to-one meetings with their line managers. These are also underpinned by performance development plans (PDPs). Managers can nominate awards for outstanding performance which are given to colleagues in the form of gift vouchers to spend at their favourite shops or restaurants.

“It’s great to be recognised for your efforts, my last employer never even said thanks. I have been blown away by how Vista treat their staff. My partner was over the moon when I said we were going out for dinner and Vista was paying.”

Family-time Initiative

Vista’s employees are invited to enter monthly draws to win either family tickets to an event or for a restaurant or experience of their choice.

This initiative has been an amazing success and has given our colleagues the opportunity to make the most of their time outside of work by sharing experiences with their families.

“Thank you so much, we don’t get much time to go out as a family these days. We had such a good day, this really is a great initiative”

Corporate Social Responsibility

Vista encourage its people to give something back to their local communities and to charity, – whether it is time, effort or a financial contribution. Vista works with local schools to donate recycled IT equipment, refreshing schools;, ICT and contributing to a circular economy.

Vista has supported and continues to support a range of charitable enterprises within our community and surrounding areas:

Vista’s Support of Tŷ Hafan

Tŷ Hafan is a children’s hospice based in South Wales. Over the last few years, our colleagues have engaged in multiple fundraising events for the charity. Vista’s CEO, James Pepper, is also a trustee at the hospice and offers his expertise and assistance with board matters. James is also a Tŷ Hafan fundraiser through his captaincy of the Tŷ Hafan ice hockey team and has raised over £35K for the charity.
https://www.tyhafan.org/

Vista’s Support of Bigmoose

Bigmoose is a Cardiff-based charity whose aim is to leave the world in a better place. Their main area’s of focus are mental health, suicide prevention and working with homeless people. Vista has provided fundraising initiatives, donated technology for their charity coffee shop and provide ongoing technology support free of charge.

bigmoose new (bigmoosecharity.co)

Vista’s Support of RCV UK

Risca COVID-19 Volunteers was a charity set up during the pandemic to provide support to people in need within the local community. It provides a range of support services which includes someone to talk to, assistance with shopping, a food pantry for businesses and the community to donate surplus food to and local residents to call upon if in need. The charity also runs a library and coffee shop with onsite computers with internet access. Vista were able to support the charity by donating IT equipment.

RCV UK (riscacv19volunteers.com)

Vista’s Support of the Toy Box Project

The Toybox Project provides toys to children who are in need. They provide toys to children in social care or from families who have fallen on hard times.

To assist the Toybox Project, Vista ordered over £500 worth of toys listed on the Toybox Project website and also asked colleagues to donate new and used toys. The response was overwhelming and as a team we managed to fill a Vista van with toys, books, footballs and rugby balls.

On the night of delivery, the importance of the Toybox Project was clear to see. James had just helped a family that had been re-homed; the children had nothing and he invited them to help themselves to toys from the shop. The family were so appreciative and the children left with bags full of toys and books.

“We are thrilled to have the support of James and the team at Vista, where we are blown away at the sheer number of toys they donated. So grateful and still a little speechless. Due to growing demand for our service, we have already re-homed a large amount of the toys to families in need, community groups and schools. More people and organisations are struggling to purchase their toys. Thank you again, it means so much to us and those who receive the toys”

Home – The Toybox Project

Read our Press Release: Toy Story – The Toybox Project

This year Vista Technology Support kindly contributed funds to assist Adventurers, which relies on donations (the amount received in donations directly limits the fees that everyone who attends the site has to pay), to meet their target of £3,500 to cover the cost of food for the week. To express their gratitude to Vista for the contribution, Adventurers recorded a thank you video. You can also read the blog HERE.

Vista’s Governance

Vista is a well-established business backed by Lloyds Development Capital LDC, and as such we have established excellent standards of governance within the business. Vista employs the services of external independent auditors to ensure maintenance of excellent standards in the areas of finance, operations, health and safety, HR and information and cybersecurity.

Financial Governance

Our Executive Board consists of four Executive directors, a non-exec Chairman, two non-exec Investor directors who are all appropriately trained and have extensive company director experience. Our Finance Director, Commercial director and Financial Controller are also all ACA qualified.

The business presents full financial analysis for scrutiny by the board on a monthly basis and Vista’s year-end audits are undertaken by external auditors, PWC and published within required timescales as defined by Companies House.

Vista has an excellent financial track record, both in terms of performance and audit results.

Operational and Quality Governance

All of Vista’s services are underpinned by quality measurements, KPIs and contractual SLAs, compliance against targets is measured daily, weekly and monthly. Vista’s Operations Director is an Executive Board member and presents performance stats to the Board for review. Vista’s PCI-DSS P2PE operations are subject to an external validation by NCC Group who have issued an Attestation of Compliance (AoC) with a supporting Attestation of a Validation (AoV) for its PCI-DSS P2PE services and by LRQA for its ISO 20000 and ISO 27001 accreditations. Vista is also audited by Investors in People and has maintained these standards for nearly 10 years.

Environmental and Social Governance

Vista’s environmental policies are all approved at Board level and our teams provide regular progress measurements. Our aim is to achieve continuous environmental improvement. The business is currently working towards ISO 14001 accreditation.

Vista’s Social Committee sits at the heart of our social and charitable initiatives, their purpose is to bring ideas and suggestions to the business and also decide which initiatives are worthy of the company’s support which are then presented to Vista’s Exec team for approval.