Sustainability Report 2023 for Syntezia Sàrl

Company Name: Syntezia Sàrl

Legal Form: Sàrl (Limited Liability Company)

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Reporting Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023

Date of Report: January 30, 2024

1. Introduction

Following our foundational year (2022, which saw our official registration on November 9th), 2023 marked Syntezia Sàrl's deliberate step towards formalizing our sustainability efforts. As an independent strategy and innovation consulting company, we continued to grow our client base and refine our services, all while enhancing our focus on responsible business practices. We recognize that our influence extends beyond our direct operations, particularly through the advice we provide to our clients. As a service-based firm, we don't own or operate a dedicated office space or building, nor do we engage in the import, storage, or export of material goods. Our environmental footprint is primarily defined by IT energy consumption and professional mobility.

This report details our progress in 2023, highlighting our initial attempts at data collection and our increasing engagement with recognized sustainability frameworks. We remain committed to avoiding greenwashing and presenting an honest account of our journey.

2. Regulatory Context (2023)

In 2023, the Swiss requirements for non-financial reporting remained primarily focused on large "companies of public interest," meaning Syntezia, as an SME, wasn't directly mandated to report. However, the Swiss Federal Council's Ordinance on Climate Disclosures, which would mandate TCFD-aligned reporting for large companies, was being developed and would come into effect on January 1, 2024 (for the 2024 financial year). This signaled a clear direction for corporate sustainability in Switzerland, prompting even SMEs to prepare.

For the EU, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) officially entered into force in January 2023. While its first application for large companies was set for the 2024 financial year (reporting in 2025), and for listed SMEs from FY 2026 (reporting in 2027), the directive's principles, particularly "double materiality," began to shape expectations across the supply chain. This meant that even as an SME in Switzerland, Syntezia was increasingly aware of the need to align with future reporting standards due to potential client and partner expectations.

Compliance Approach for 2023: Syntezia's approach in 2023 was one of proactive alignment and initial data collection.

We aimed to:

Prepare for Future Demands: Anticipate the increasing demands for sustainability information from clients and partners impacted by CSRD.

Establish Baseline Data: Begin systematic collection of operational data relevant for a future GHG inventory, specifically for our prioritized non-financial indicators (kWh, CO2, water).

Research Frameworks: Actively explore frameworks like SBTi for SMEs to guide our emissions reduction strategy.

3. Sustainability Performance 2023

3.1 Environmental Performance:

Energy Consumption (kWh & CO2):

• Data Collection: Began tracking electricity consumption for our Geneva office space and IT equipment. Data was primarily based on utility bills.

2023 Data: Total electricity consumption: 0 kWh

Emissions (Scope 2, Location-based): 0 tCO2e (calculated using Swiss/Geneva grid emission factors available for 2023, approx. 0.04 kgCO2e/kWh).

Note: We recognize the need to explore market-based options for Scope 2 in the future.

• Waste Management:
• Actions: Continued comprehensive recycling program for paper, plastic, and glass. Sustained focus on recycling ink cartridges from printers. Efforts made to reduce printing and promote digital workflows.

Observation: Initial observations suggest a low volume of general waste due to digital operations and recycling efforts. No formal waste audits were conducted.

Business Travel & Mobility:

• Actions: Continued prioritizing virtual meetings. Began informally tracking main modes of business travel.

Commitment to Sustainable Mobility: Syntezia formalized its commitment to sustainable professional mobility by emphasizing the use of public transportation (trains with SBB, trams, buses, and boats with TPG in Geneva) and active mobility (walking) on every occasion possible. This significantly reduced reliance on carbon-intensive transport for client meetings and internal travel within Switzerland and across Europe.

2023 Data (Preliminary Scope 3 - Category 6):

• Estimated Air Travel Emissions: 1.8 tCO2e (based on approximate distances and industry average factors)

Estimated Train Travel Emissions: 0.04 tCO2e (based on approximate distances and industry average factors)

Note: This is an estimation, and more robust data collection is required.

• Overall GHG Emissions (Preliminary 2023 Baseline):
• Scope 1: 0 tCO2e (Syntezia didn't operate company-owned vehicles or on-site fuel combustion from owned/controlled buildings).

Scope 2: 0.04 tCO2e

Scope 3 (Partial - Business Travel): 1.84 tCO2e

Total Preliminary GHG Emissions (2023): ~1.88 tCO2e

• Action Plan for Mobility and Sustainable IT: Building on the previous year's CO2 awareness, Syntezia developed its first dedicated sustainability action plan in 2023, focusing on:

Mobility: Implementing the aforementioned commitment to public and active transportation, along with internal guidelines for travel choices.

Sustainable IT: Initiating efforts to minimize the environmental footprint of our IT. This included prioritizing energy-efficient hardware, extending device lifespans, and beginning to select ethical cloud providers based on their own sustainability credentials and data center efficiency.

3.2 Social Considerations:

Employee Engagement: Conducted informal check-ins regarding employee well-being.

Learning & Development: Supported employees in professional development related to strategic consulting, with an emerging focus on sustainability topics as relevant to client projects.

Work-Life Balance: Maintained flexible working arrangements.

Health, Safety, and Ergonomics: Building on the initial awareness from 2022, Syntezia provided basic guidance and resources for employees to optimize their remote work setups, covering general health and safety best practices and fundamental ergonomic principles.

Voluntary Community Contribution: Employees continued to dedicate voluntary time to support local initiatives in Geneva. This included providing pro-bono advice or mentorship to refugees seeking to integrate into the job market or start small businesses, and offering guidance to early-stage entrepreneurs within the local startup ecosystem. While still informal, these efforts demonstrated Syntezia's commitment to leveraging its expertise for social good.

3.3 Governance Performance:

Internal Discussions: Initiated internal discussions on formalizing a sustainability policy and identifying a dedicated person or team responsible for sustainability efforts.

Risk Management: Continued to integrate ethical considerations into client engagement and project delivery processes.

VAT Registration: Maintained its voluntary VAT registration status. This allowed for continued input tax deduction, contributing to the company's financial efficiency, and reinforced its professional standing within the Swiss business landscape.

4. Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Engagement

In 2023, Syntezia began actively researching the SBTi pathway for SMEs. We confirmed our eligibility (fewer than 250 employees, turnover <€50 million, total assets <€25 million, Scope 1 & 2 emissions likely <10,000 tCO2e). Our intention for 2024 is to formalize our commitment to setting science-based targets.

5. Co-benefits Achieved in 2023

Our more formalized approach in 2023 started to yield clearer co-benefits:

Enhanced Brand Reputation: Proactively addressing sustainability signaled to clients and prospective talent that Syntezia is a forward-thinking and responsible company, subtly differentiating us in the market.

Improved Employee Morale and Attraction: Employees expressed pride in working for a company taking tangible steps towards sustainability, which positively contributed to morale and made Syntezia more attractive to purpose-driven job seekers.

Initial Cost Efficiencies: While not the primary driver, careful monitoring of electricity consumption and continued reliance on digital tools contributed to modest operational cost savings. The emphasis on virtual meetings and a shift to public transport for business travel also continued to save on travel expenses.

Increased Readiness for Future Regulations: By proactively collecting data and researching frameworks, we began to build the internal capacity needed to respond effectively to future regulatory demands from Switzerland and the EU, reducing potential future compliance burdens.

Employment Stability & Skills Enhancement: Syntezia continued to provide stable direct employment in the knowledge-based sector in Switzerland. Our growing operational needs also fostered indirect employment through our engagement with a growing network of service providers (e.g., specialized software vendors, professional development trainers, marketing agencies) across Switzerland, Europe, and, for some digital services, even beyond Europe. This contributed to the economic stability and growth of these varied regional economies. Our increasing interest in sustainability also meant employees were gaining exposure to and developing new skills in ESG integration, which is increasingly valuable in the consulting market.

Strengthened Community Ties & Social Inclusion: The voluntary efforts by Syntezia team members to support refugees and entrepreneurs significantly enhanced our direct social impact. By offering their professional skills, they helped empower individuals, fostered economic integration for vulnerable groups, and contributed to the vibrancy of the local startup ecosystem in Geneva. This reinforced Syntezia's role as a socially conscious contributor to its community.

Targeted Environmental Impact Reduction: The development and implementation of the action plan for mobility and sustainable IT enabled a more strategic approach to reducing our environmental footprint. This focus on specific areas of significant impact allowed for more effective resource allocation and laid the groundwork for measurable reductions in our carbon footprint, particularly from travel and IT operations.

Water, Soil, and Biodiversity Awareness in Procurement: While direct impacts from our office operations remain minimal, our commitment to prioritizing water and CO2 as non-financial indicators, coupled with our efforts to select more sustainable suppliers for office essentials and ethical cloud providers, meant we were indirectly supporting supply chains that aim to reduce their own water usage, minimize harmful chemical runoff into soil, and preserve biodiversity. This fostered internal awareness of these broader environmental considerations and influenced procurement choices.

6. Outlook for 2024

Building on the preliminary data and insights from 2023, Syntezia is committed to significant steps in 2024:

Formal SBTi Commitment: Aim to submit a formal commitment to the SBTi SME pathway.

Refine GHG Inventory: Improve the accuracy and completeness of our Scope 1, 2, and key Scope 3 (e.g., business travel, employee commuting) emissions data, guided by our action plan.

Conduct Materiality Assessment: Perform a formal materiality assessment (including simple and double materiality) to identify and prioritize our most significant sustainability impacts and risks.

Set Initial Targets: Work towards defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) targets for emissions reduction, aligned with SBTi criteria.

Develop Sustainability Policy: Draft and implement a formal sustainability policy to guide our internal operations and external interactions.

Engage Supply Chain: Begin initial discussions with key suppliers regarding their sustainability practices, particularly for high-impact services.

Syntezia is dedicated to its sustainability journey, understanding that meaningful progress requires consistent effort and transparency.Use a text section to describe your values, show more info, summarize a topic, or tell a story.