SURF and CSR
SURF works on developments that are important for future generations. That is why we want to contribute to sustainability in the education and research sector. In addition, sustainability is an integral part of our services.
Energy, procurement and disposal
Sustainability is an integral part of SURF's services. We pay attention to reducing energy consumption, apply socially responsible purchasing and ensure sustainable disposal of hardware. With our ICT knowledge and solutions, we want to contribute to sustainable education and research. For us, sustainability means dealing responsibly with human and natural resources.
The power of collaboration
SURF uses the power of collaboration within the cooperative to make a difference. Together with our members, we want to be leading and innovative in the field of sustainability: in our activities and services and in our business operations.
Minimising environmental impact
In terms of our impact on the environment, we aspire to contribute both to reducing our energy footprint (by programming more efficiently and with energy-efficient hardware) and to reusing materials. Our national supercomputer Snellius is a good example of the great importance SURF attaches to sustainability and corporate social responsibility: it is highly ranked in the Green500 ranking, particularly due to energy-efficient cooling.
Electronic waste
We have an E-waste policy with the aim of handling SURF's electronic waste as responsibly and socially as possible. To this end, SURF works with Sims Recycling Solutions(SRS) to recycle discarded equipment. SRS ensures that the electronics are recycled responsibly or put back on the market.
Sustainable procurement
In our procurement, sustainability is one of the requirements, both for SURF organisation and in our procurement on behalf of our members as SURF Cooperative. Socially responsible procurement is taking account of social consequences in the procurement process. Together with Rijkswaterstaat, SURF is the leader of the national Buyer Group ICT. The aim of the Buyer Group is to make the entire ICT market more sustainable through a jointly developed market strategy. Within this initiative, work has been done on a sustainable procurement strategy for software.
Joint approach
SURF has been actively involved in the creation of the new Coalition for Sustainable Digitisation: a public-private partnership for a joint approach to sustainable digitisation. The coalition was launched at the end of 2022 with the presentation of a Sustainable Digitisation Manifesto to the Minister for the Interior and Kingdom Relations.
Public values are of paramount importance to SURF. For us, this includes sustainability. As part of SURF's 2022-2027 strategy, we are working with the members to develop sustainability within the cooperative.