TRENDING the past five years, global circularity is in decline. The share of secondary materials consumed has decreased from 9.1 % in 2018 to 7.2 % in 2023 – a 2.1 % drop. In the same period, the world has consumed over 500 gigatonnes of virgin materials – 28 % of all the materials humanity has consumed since 1900.
Renewed efforts to drive forward a circular economy are critically important to reducing the consumption of virgin materials and the amount of e-waste generated. In Softcat’ s survey, 19 % of organisations identified sustainability as a top strategic priority. It could be argued that this statistic should be higher, considering that measuring emissions is becoming an increasingly important part of the journey towards net zero. As an organisation, Softcat is on track to reach a 45 % reduction in CO 2 emissions by 2030, with the ultimate aim to reach net zero.
Finally, 40 % of respondents are focusing on governance and regulatory compliance in 2025, to
Real change comes from understanding which technologies will best meet each organisation’ s unique needs. avoid legal penalties and to protect their reputation. With increasing reliance on external partners, managing third-party risk is essential for ensuring these relationships don’ t introduce vulnerabilities into their ecosystem.
Softcat’ s findings reflect businesses’ on-going need to balance technological innovation with operational resilience, while addressing economic challenges and evolving regulatory landscapes. Implementing, maintaining and improving technology while ensuring proper safeguards is a balancing act that will continue in the year ahead.
Richard Wyn Griffith, Chief Commercial Officer at Softcat, said:“ The pace of change over the past year has been remarkable. Looking ahead, consolidating platforms, services and technologies will provide a full view of everything from assets and users to connectivity and security. In addition, building a datadriven culture will make it easier to take advantage of ever-smarter technologies while complying with evolving regulations.
“ But real change comes from understanding which technologies will best meet each organisation’ s unique needs and having the agility to evolve when they do. This is what Softcat has done best for years, and we’ re looking forward to continuing to support customers on the journey.” p
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