Environment · Social · Governance
Doing What's Right for the Planet, Our People and the Next Generation
We operate responsibly across every area of our business, cutting our carbon footprint through direct action, and using immersive learning to inspire the students we exist for.
Our commitment
A Reduction-led Approach to Net Zero
Avantis Education recognises the importance of our environmental and social impact and is committed to operating responsibly across every area of our business. Our ESG strategy is built on reducing our carbon footprint through direct action. While we previously offset our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, we now prioritise initiatives that cut emissions at source, where we have the greatest influence and can deliver measurable, lasting impact.
We set 2045 as our target date to be realistic about the time needed to drive meaningful change through our supply chain, where the greatest share of our footprint sits. To track our progress, we recalculate our carbon emissions every year and report them openly.
I am confident that Avantis Education's commitment to sustainability will inspire the very students we exist for, and other companies in the education industry, to take similar action, so that together we can work towards a more sustainable future for all.
Huw Williams, CEO
Our 2024–2028 Strategy
Three Pillars, Clear Commitments
Our strategy is anchored in Planet, People and Products, each with commitments we hold ourselves to, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Protect the environment
- Reach Net Zero by 2045 across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, offsetting only the residual that can't be eliminated.
- Maintain zero waste to landfill across our UK operations, and work towards the same in the US.
- Reduce packaging weight, phase out single-use plastics, and use recycled or sustainable materials.
- Work with our core suppliers to design more energy-efficient hardware that reduces device power consumption during use and lowers lifetime carbon emissions.
Support our people and communities
- Build a diverse, supportive workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
- Invest in employee health, welfare, and flexible and hybrid working.
- Run an active corporate social responsibility programme, with paid time for employees to volunteer.
- Measure the impact of our community engagement so our contribution is real and accountable.
Learning with impact
- Develop VR/AR experiences that improve student engagement and attainment.
- Engage the next generation on sustainability, climate and cultural awareness.
- Let students experience the impacts of climate change first-hand through immersive content.
- Build a responsible, ethically audited supply chain.
Our progress so far
How We're Measuring Up
We measure our carbon footprint every year and report our progress openly – the good and the work still to do.
Real, structural change
- We moved all our sites to 100% certified renewable electricity, cutting our purchased-electricity emissions at source.
- We moved inbound freight from air to sea, cutting upstream transport and distribution emissions by over 90% year on year.
- We're zero waste to landfill in the UK, and working towards the same across our US operations.
- We began measuring capital-purchase emissions for the first time, widening our reporting boundary.
Where we're focusing next
- Our biggest lever is our supply chain – purchased goods and services account for most of our footprint.
- Reducing or offsetting the gas we use to heat our sites.
- Business travel and employee commuting, which we've identified as a focus area for targeted reductions.
Across our whole footprint, our latest emissions sit well ahead of our Net Zero glidepath, driven by the structural changes above. Some of the year's improvement also reflects the natural rhythm of our production and procurement cycles, which we expect to normalise, and we're upfront about that. Credible progress means reporting the full picture, not just the headline.
Fighting climate change
Our Net Zero Glidepath
We built an emissions inventory with external carbon advisors, covering our full Scope 3 footprint. We have an accurate baseline and clear milestones across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, and we track our actual emissions against that path every year.
We're tracking ahead of our glidepath, led by a genuine structural change: shifting inbound freight from air to ocean cut our upstream transport and distribution emissions by 94% in a single year. Together with moving all our sites to 100% renewable electricity, that's a lasting reduction. Part of this year's improvement also reflects the natural rhythm of our production and procurement cycles, which we expect to normalise, so we report our position openly and recalculate it every year.
In previous years we offset our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions through high-quality, Verra-accredited carbon-removal projects. We have since shifted our focus to direct reduction at source, which gives us greater control, transparency and measurable impact, aligned with the ISO 14068 standard.
Our emissions inventory covers:
Global goals
The UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015 the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a roadmap for a better future. The goals below are the ones most closely linked to what we do, and our actions support global progress towards them.
3. Good Health and Well-being
Wellbeing supported through inclusive, immersive learning.
4. Quality Education
Innovative, immersive learning with access for all.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
100% renewable electricity; ISO 50001 manufacturing partners.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
Supply-chain labour standards – Sedex SMETA, amfori BSCI, SA8000.
10. Reduced Inequalities
Inclusive workplace policies for our people; products designed with inclusivity in mind.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
Packaging reduction, circularity, responsible supply chain.
13. Climate Action
Our Net Zero strategy, with a commitment to reach Net Zero by 2045 and cut emissions across our operations and supply chain.
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Partnering with local charity Gympanzees through volunteering and donated goods.
Community
Giving Back
Alongside our workplace commitments, we support causes that create real social value.
Gympanzees
We’re proud to support Gympanzees, a local charity creating inclusive play and exercise spaces for children and young people with disabilities.
We share their belief that every child deserves the chance to play, explore and discover new experiences, and we want to help make that possible. We’ve donated ClassVR headsets and subscriptions to their lending library, so families can borrow headsets and enjoy immersive experiences at home that might otherwise be out of reach. ClassVR will also feature in their brand-new, fully accessible facility opening in early 2027, and we’re providing training and ongoing support for their staff.
Our support for Gympanzees goes beyond donating equipment. Members of our marketing team have worked alongside the charity at its pop-up events this summer, helping bring inclusive play experiences to children and young people with disabilities. We’re also exploring further opportunities to get involved, including volunteering and fundraising activities. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together so far and look forward to continuing our support as Gympanzees opens its doors to its brand-new, fully accessible facility in 2027.
A responsible supply chain
Standards That Reach Beyond Our Own Operations
Most of our footprint sits in our supply chain, which makes working with our partners the single most important thing we can do to reach Net Zero. We hold them to the same high standards we set for ourselves.
14001
50001
audited
Every one of our direct manufacturing partners holds ISO 9001 for quality management. Our core partners go further, operating to internationally recognised energy-management standards including ISO 50001, driving efficiency and lower emissions at the point of production. Across our wider base, our partners hold recognised environmental certifications, and the majority are independently audited for ethical and social compliance. We actively encourage our remaining partners to achieve ISO 14001 environmental certification and to complete recognised ethical audits. Where an independent audit isn't proportionate to a supplier's role, we assess them against our own supplier code of conduct, and we continue to advocate for all our suppliers to join Sedex or an equivalent scheme.
In practice
Environment, Social and Governance
Environment
- Renewable electricity and efficiency-saving technology to drive down our energy impact.
- Following the waste hierarchy, reducing, reusing and recycling wherever possible.
- Cutting upstream and downstream supply-chain emissions.
- Sustainability integrated into our curricula and educational software.
Social
- A challenging, inclusive and diverse workplace with ongoing professional development.
- Work-life balance through flexible and hybrid working.
- Engaging our suppliers on ESG while protecting human rights and welfare in our supply chain.
Governance
- Strong oversight, transparency and risk management, led by a diverse ESG committee.
- Clear goals, accountability and metrics.
- A board and leadership team that drive and monitor our ESG commitments.
- A robust, anonymous whistleblowing mechanism.
Reports
Read The Detail
