1. POLICY PURPOSE AND SCOPE

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Purpose of the Climate Policy 

At ED4S, we believe that climate leadership begins with our own actions. As an organization dedicated to advancing sustainability knowledge, we have a responsibility to demonstrate integrity, transparency, and ambition in how we manage our environmental impact. This Climate Policy formalizes our commitment to actively measure, reduce, and manage our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while integrating climate considerations into every aspect of our growth. 

 

ED4S applies the principles of materiality and proportionality: our commitments are tailored to the scale and operational control of a small digital services company, and we prioritize actions where we can materially influence outcomes.

 

Commitment to Monitoring and Reducing Environmental Impacts 

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We commit to:

• Systematically measuring our emissions across all relevant scopes, 

• Reducing them in alignment with global 1.5°C pathways, 

• Minimizing our resource use and waste generation, 

• Where feasible and relevant, prioritizing suppliers with transparent climate commitments and credible sustainability credentials, 

• Continuously improving our practices as we grow.

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Scope of the Policy

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This policy applies to all ED4S activities, including: 

• Digital operations and cloud infrastructures 

• Remote work (home offices) 

• Business travel 

• Procurement of goods and services 

• Production partners and suppliers delivering core services 

• Employees, contractors, and directors
   

Scope Definitions

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Scope 1 – Direct emissions 

• Not applicable to ED4S (no owned vehicles, no combustion, no refrigerants)

Scope 2 – Indirect emissions from purchased energy 

• Electricity consumed in the office (market-based methodology where available) 

Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions 

• Purchased goods & services (software, video production services, contractors, office supplies) 

• Capital goods (computers, screens, laptops) 

• Waste generated in operations (recycling, compost, residual waste) 

• Business travel (air, rail, accommodations) 

• Employee commuting (remote work scenarios) 

• Upstream leased assets 

• Downstream emissions (use of e-learning platforms, data streaming) 

 

2. CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS
 

We commit to the following principles: 

• Aligning with the Paris Agreement and global 1.5°C decarbonization pathway, by progressively strengthening our emissions reductions, data systems, and targets to reflect these international standards as our company grows. 

• Application of the GHG Protocol for emissions accounting across all scopes. 

• Climate-smart decision-making integrated into operations, purchasing, partnerships, and production. 

• Hierarchy of action: 

1. Avoid purchases, use, and consumption when it is not necessary 

2. Reuse material when possible 

3. Reduce emissions at the source, 

4. Substitute high-impact activities with low-impact alternatives, 

5. Offset only as a last resort for residual, hard-to-abate emissions. 

We see climate responsibility as a continuous journey and are committed to improving our maturity as we grow. 

 

3. GOVERNANCE & RESPONSIBILITY 

• Founder/ CEO: Provides oversight, approve climate targets, and review annual performance. 

• Sustainability Lead : Responsible for implementing this policy, consolidating emissions data, reviewing supplier sustainability information and prioritizing suppliers whose publicly available credentials meet ED4S standards, and reporting progress. 

• Employees & Contractors: Integrate climate considerations into daily operations, adopt internal procedures, and report any concerns or suggestions. Climate expectations are embedded in the onboarding process. 

The Climate Policy is reviewed annually or sooner if standards evolve. 

 

4. GREENHOUSE GAR EMISSIONS MANAGEMENT
 

4.1. Emissions Measurement 

ED4S conducts an annual GHG inventory following the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard (baseline selected is 2023), covering: 

Scope 1: 

• None  

Scope 2: 

• Electricity consumption across home offices (Hydro-Québec renewable electricity considered as market-based where applicable). 

Scope 3: 

• Purchased goods & services 

• Business travel (air, rail, lodging) 

• Employee commuting 

• Cloud & IT services 

• Waste treatment 

• Use of digital platforms (e-learning, streaming, hosting)

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4.2. Data Collection Procedures 

Data is tracked quarterly, including: 

• Electricity consumption reported by employees 

• Emissions from business travel 

• Invoices and activity data from digital service providers and production suppliers 

• Waste management and end-of-life of equipment 

 

5. EMISSIONS REDUCTION OBJECTIVES
 

5.1. Short-Term Goals (1–2 years) 

ED4S will: 

• Reduce emissions related to business travel by favoring digital meetings when possible 

• Optimize digital platforms to reduce data intensity 

• Implement low-carbon procurement guidelines 

• Promote energy-efficient equipment in home offices 

• Prefer suppliers with demonstrated climate commitments when selection is practicable

 

5.2. Medium-Term Targets (3–5 years) 

In alignment with SBTi SME guidance, ED4S will:

• Maintain near-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and adopt a baseline year for any future formal target submission. As an SME, we focus primarily on measuring and managing material Scope 3 categories and will consider formal SBTi target submission when operational scale and data maturity make validation appropriate. 

• Improve efficiency of digital operations (cloud hosting, video storage, production methods) 

 

Given that our emissions profile is dominated by Scope 3 categories, our primary reduction efforts focus on value chain emissions, in line with SBTi’s requirement to cover at least 67% of Scope 3 emissions with science-based targets. 
 

5.3. Long-Term Ambitions (beyond 2030) 

• Target net-zero emissions by 2050, with earlier delivery if feasible 

• Offset only residual emissions that cannot be eliminated 

 

6. WASTE MANAGEMENT & CIRCULARITY

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6.1. Digital-Dominant Waste Minimization 

While ED4S has minimal physical waste, we commit to: 

• Monitoring and reducing electronic waste 

• Ensuring responsible end-of-life management of devices through certified e-waste recyclers 

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6.2. Paper & Office Waste 

• Digital-first workflows 

• Zero unnecessary printing 

• Use of fully recyclable materials if printing is required 

 

7. ENERGY CONSUMPTION

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7.1. Electricity for Home Offices 

• Use of renewable electricity where available (Hydro-Québec provides 100% renewable energy) 

• Employee awareness on responsible energy use
   

7.2. Cloud & Hosting 

• Preference for cloud providers operating on 100% renewable energy where possible 

• Annual review of hosting providers’ energy performance and environmental commitments 

 

8. PROCUREMENT & SUPPLIER EXPECTATIONS
 

ED4S integrates climate principles into its procurement decisions by prioritizing: 

• Preference for suppliers that publicly disclose climate commitments (e.g., SBTi), where relevant and verifiable 

• Vendors using renewable energy 

• Partners demonstrating strong digital sustainability practices 

• Suppliers with waste minimization and circularity measures 

A climate questionnaire is required for relevant suppliers, as outlined in ED4S’s Third-Party Policy.

 

9. WASTE VALORIZATION
 

ED4S is committed to minimizing waste and promoting circularity in all aspects of its operations. Although our activities are primarily digital and generate limited physical waste, we strive to manage all waste responsibly and reduce environmental impacts wherever possible. 
 

Scope

This section applies to: 
 

• Office operations (paper, packaging) 

• IT and electronic equipment (computers, cables, servers)

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Scope covers direct operational waste (office, print when used, and e-waste). Waste produced by external service providers is managed by those providers; ED4S will encourage responsible practices where feasible.

 

Principles and Practices

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1. Waste Minimization 

a. Digital-first processes reduce the need for printing and physical materials. 

b. Any necessary printing uses fully recyclable paper and materials. 

 

2. Responsible E-Waste Management 

a. End-of-life IT equipment is disposed of through certified e-waste recyclers. 

b. Electronic purchases are selected with a preference for longevity and recyclability. 

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3. Continuous Improvement 

a. ED4S monitors waste practices and seeks opportunities to further reduce waste and enhance recycling. 

b. Updates to waste management processes are integrated into the annual Climate Policy review. 

 

10. REPORTING & TRANSPARENCY
 

ED4S commits to: 

• Preparing an annual GHG emissions report 

• Reviewing progress against reduction targets 

• Updating this Climate Policy as needed to reflect evolving standards and internal improvements 

These actions reinforce transparency for clients, partners, employees, and stakeholders. 

 

11. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

 

ED4S is committed to: 

• Staying informed on emerging climate standards, frameworks, and tools 

• Adjusting procedures as the company grows and its activities evolve 

• Providing annual training to employees on digital sustainability, emissions reduction, waste management, and climate literacy 

We recognize that sustainability is a journey, and we aim to continually strengthen our practices while supporting others in doing the same.