Softline, like every global business, is deeply intertwined with environmental, social, and governance concerns (“ESG”). Whilst we recognize the ESG challenges of working in many developing and emerging markets, we strive to build sustainable, equitable, healthy, and diverse communities through a combination of digital transformation and information technology solutions. This commitment informs every aspect of our business, including how we design and build new projects, operate our portfolio of products and services, and collaborate with stakeholders.
Softline’s ESG Statement
We’re furthering our commitment to transparency with Softline’s first ESG Statement.
The initiatives described in this report speak to our commitment to advancing initiatives across ESG topics:
Environmental
We aim to embed environmental stewardship in everything we do. Our environment policy defines the principles, goals, and focal areas of Softline’s activities in the field of environment protection and safety. Its purpose is to ensure environmentally sound and sustainable development of the company in the short and long term and to minimize negative impact on the environment.
Social
At Softline, we work every day to put people first by empowering them with accessible technology, being a force for equity and opportunity, creating an inclusive and diverse work environment, and respecting the human rights of everyone whose lives we touch. And, as COVID-19 has brought everyone’s health into sharp focus, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our communities, customers, supplier employees, and teams.
Governance
We view good governance as essential to creating and preserving value for our key stakeholders and investors. We have an effective and highly skilled Board of Directors with a majority of independent non-executive directors. We promote board independence and embrace board diversity in all its facets.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility projects are an indispensable part of Softline’s activities. We initiate and contribute to many socially beneficial projects, with a focus on helping vulnerable groups like orphaned or disadvantaged children, the elderly and disabled. Our company supports its local communities in helping to meet basic nutritional needs and by providing opportunities to improve education and tech literacy.
Softline often participates in and sponsors competitions and events for pupils and students in the field of information security. A good example is the hackathon for orphaned children from all around the Moscow region that Istok charitable foundation organizes and we participate as sponsors. During the contests, children develop projects for gaming platforms and websites and the best projects win different prizes to help them continue this passion. Softline also provided the children that participated in the hackathon with personal laptops for further training.
Children´s support is one of the biggest concerns for Softline, and another project that we have also launched is the offering of our patronage to different childcare centres on a regular basis to cover multiple needs, this also includes a very special holiday project carried out by Softline’s employees annually. On New Year’s Eve, children in orphanages write letters to Father Frost, the Russian version of Father Christmas, and the Snow Maiden, his granddaughter. Our employees fulfil these children’s wishes by giving hundreds of children in dozens of Russian cities gifts to celebrate the holiday.
Softline’s people are also committed to support medical initiatives and regularly participate in blood donation. An initiative funded by the company which goal is to help save lives and improve social care.
Being part of the IT world, we consider essential to support those who might not have the resources to learn and keep up with the most modern technologies. That’s why, together with the YUMIRA Charitable Foundation, Softline is supporting the “Taste of Life - Connection of Generations" project. An initiative aimed at helping older people in the development of their internet skills and understanding of modern gadgets.
In India, Softline works with the Ayang Trust. We have recently set up a community library and activity area for children in Kharjanpar, Assam. We have also worked with the Myna Mahila Foundation to help provide over 500 girls with menstrual hygiene kits.
In collaboration with Annamrita Foundation, Softline supports the fight against malnutrition and hunger by sponsoring midday meals for schoolchildren. We also help to run a kitchen at the Cooper Hospital in Mumbai to serve much needed food to health care workers, an especially important initiative during the pandemic that was not only funded by Softline but also supported proactively by our employees in India.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire world but some countries are struggling more than others to overcome the crisis. As part of our commitment to help society we´ve decided to engage in a social project in Brazil to support people under poverty and hunger.
Our Brazilian employees wanted to be part of the initiative, so in order to bring them in, we’ve partner with a well-known NGO that has a project called “Collect with me” where they collect food baskets and distribute for poor communities. Softline’s employees are donating food baskets through a wire transfer to a specific project account, and Softline has committed to support the project doubling whatever we’ve gathered from our employees.