The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (U.N. SDGs) are an urgent call to action to ensure a sustainable future. Adopted in 2015 via a cooperative effort from all U.N. member states, they provide a blueprint for peace and prosperity for humanity and nature alike. We all have a considerable impact on the world around us. As such, Avnet proudly continues to show strong commitment to move humanity forward in the right direction and applies the U.N. SDGs in our business practices whenever possible. See the highlighted stories below that showcase our commitments to these goals in FY24.
Developing talent opportunities through EMEA’s apprenticeship programs
Attracting and developing the best talent is integral to Avnet’s continued growth and success. To spur continued growth and interest in Avnet and our industry, several of our offices across EMEA offer apprenticeship programs that provide professional development and on-the-job training opportunities. The apprenticeship also serves as a reliable talent pipeline for Avnet. Over the past 10 years, more than 90% of EMEA apprentices moved into permanent positions following successful completion of their respective programs. During FY24, more than 100 professionals participated in these programs.
Supporting unhoused families in transition to sustainable housing
During FY24, two crews of 30 Avnet volunteers supported the 31st annual Serve-A-Thon at House of Refuge, a nonprofit organization in Mesa, Arizona that provides transitional housing in a neighborhood setting for families experiencing homelessness. Our volunteers completed numerous projects, including painting, weeding, bench refinishing and general cleanup around the campus. Additionally, volunteers assembled multiple activity kits for the children and updated gardens with protected raised garden beds. Supporting communities in crisis is a top priority for Avnet Cares, and our ongoing support of House of Refuge through both grants and volunteers is a key piece of this work.
Embracing the future of resilient cities
We believe that the future of resilient cities prioritizes preparedness, proactive planning and the implementation of innovative strategies to build and maintain strong foundations that can withstand and recover quickly from disruptions. As such Microchip and Avnet’s Hackster.io partnered to launch the Future of Resilience contest during FY24 to encourage and support technology innovation that improves climate resilience globally. Winners were awarded funding to support continued innovation. Winning projects included a remote camera device to predict required maintenance of roads, improving public safety; smart trash pickup optimization routes for more efficient waste management; and water pipe freeze prediction alerts to minimize infrastructure risk in urban environments.
Expanding our services to support a circular economy
During FY24, Avnet’s Integrated Solutions team expanded the scale of its end-to-end services through more refurbishing and recycling programs for servers, computers and other technology. We view refurbishment and repair as a key component of supporting deployed hardware at our customer sites throughout the full life cycle, as part of a larger service supply chain offering. After deploying the program on a small scale, Avnet Integrated Solutions received a successful reception and growing interest from customers who want to lower support costs and meet waste reduction goals.
Farnell receives Greener Path Landfill Diversion Award
Farnell, an Avnet company, received the Greener Path Landfill Diversion Award in recognition of its exceptional environmental performance within our waste and recycling operation. Farnell has received the award from ACM Environmental for the second consecutive year in recognition of successfully implementing zero- waste-to-landfill in the U.K. In addition, Avnet’s headquarters and distribution center in Leeds have recently introduced EV charging points, providing carbon-free charging for up to 80 cars per day, while the primary energy source at these sites is electrical and 100% from renewable sources.
