Environmental, social, and governance policy

Our commitment

BlueCat is dedicated to integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into our core business strategy.

As we accelerate growth and innovation, we are committed to providing core services that simplify, automate, secure, and optimize IP and DNS infrastructure for our customers.

Our mission is to help enterprises achieve their network modernization objectives and be the trusted network infrastructure partner of enterprises globally. While pursuing those objectives, we want to understand our impact on the environment and society and embrace corporate social responsibility.

BlueCat will integrate sustainable business practices into its strategy and operations to ensure resilience in responding to challenges, risks, and opportunities. We will reinforce our collaborative approach to creating innovative solutions with a focus on the environment and the highest standards of ethical practice.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to guide BlueCat’s commitment to integrating ESG principles. We are driven by our commitment to sustainable and inclusive business practices, which is reflected in the products and services we provide.

This policy supports an organization-wide approach to integrating ESG principles and extends to our partnerships and overall governance. It allows BlueCat to improve our sustainability performance and report on ESG outcomes in alignment with our mission, vision, and emerging best practices.

Our approach

BlueCat will integrate ESG principles into strategic planning, decision-making processes, relevant organizational policies, day-to-day activities, and overall business strategy. Our ESG strategy will facilitate the implementation of this policy and support BlueCat in its growth and value creation while ensuring ongoing alignment with core principles around sustainability.

We will do this by identifying and engaging with our key stakeholders, including our investors, employees, partners, customers, suppliers, industry associations, and others.

Through ongoing stakeholder outreach, BlueCat will identify and prioritize the material ESG issues that may impact our business objectives in the short-, medium-, and long-term. We will also seek to understand the impact of our business activities. Furthermore, BlueCat will align our ESG priority areas with emerging global sustainability standards.

Assessment of materiality

BlueCat conducted an initial ESG materiality assessment to identify ESG issues that are important to our stakeholders and our business performance. As part of our assessment, we considered the perspectives of our customers, partners, investors, and community. BlueCat identified material ESG opportunities through analysis of our organizational activities, industry and global standards, and peer review. BlueCat also conducted an externally focused stakeholder engagement that we will expand in future years.

The priority issues identified from the assessment are those most likely to have an impact on BlueCat’s overall performance, reputation, and future regulatory compliance in local and global markets.

BlueCat will continually evaluate ESG risks and opportunities to identify new and relevant ESG issues.

ESG material issues

Based on the materiality assessment described above, BlueCat will prioritize the following ESG issues:

In the graph above, the Y-axis represents the level of concern or importance to stakeholders. The X-axis reflects the impact the ESG issues could have on BlueCat’s business performance (reflecting both risk and opportunities). The intersection of these two dimensions determines the priority level of each issue.
Environmental

BlueCat will manage and reduce the impact of our operations on the natural environment through a proactive approach. This approach will allow us to understand and mitigate the risks to our operations and meet the needs of our stakeholders.

  • Energy management: By focusing on reducing our energy consumption and electricity usage, while increasing the use of renewable energy, we can reduce operational costs while meeting growing expectations from our customers and stakeholders.
  • Climate adaptation, resilience, and transition: By incorporating climate risks into planning and decision-making, we will understand the climate-related risks and opportunities for our business while remaining relevant in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
  • Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: GHG emissions are a primary driver of rising global temperatures and, therefore, a key focus in policy, regulation, market, and technology responses. We will focus on calculating and managing GHG emissions, setting reduction targets, and monitoring our progress.

Social

We are committed to protecting the integrity of our systems and the privacy of our customers’ information. Furthermore, we are committed to attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce while increasing equitable representation.

  • Data and cybersecurity: We will protect our systems, networks, programs, and data through our ongoing adoption of high standards, effective monitoring, and training programs for our people.
  • Customer privacy: We are committed to the protection of our customers’ privacy through the enforcement of emerging regulations, policies around data handling, and strong management practices.
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI): Diverse companies are better able to innovate, attract top talent, enhance employee satisfaction, and increase representation. We are committed to greater accessibility, anti-discrimination, DEI efforts, and an inclusive working environment.

Governance

We will conduct business with the highest ethical standards and are committed to transparency and accountability.

  • Systemic risk management: We will provide reliable systems with minimal disruptions to our customers by monitoring performance issues, disruptions, and downtime and taking swift corrective action.
  • Business ethics: Corruption undermines trust and is linked to misallocation of capital, environmental harm, human exploitation, and unethical and illegal behavior. Through strong policies, partner agreements, training programs, and effective tracking, we will protect our long-term value and reputation.
  • Anti-competitive behavior: We will follow strong management practices that respect intellectual property and prevent anti-competitive behaviors.

ESG metrics

Industry standards—primarily the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards—inform ESG metrics based on their applicability to BlueCat. ESG metrics accompany each of the issues that the materiality assessment identified.

ESG reporting

We will update our progress and performance as we further integrate ESG principles into our business and operations.

Accountability and responsibility

Key roles supporting and overseeing ESG initiatives are as follows:

  • Chief Executive Officer: Guides overall ESG strategy.
  • General Counsel: Responsible for compliance with existing and emerging regulatory requirements, ongoing ESG policy review, and ESG communication.
  • Chief Financial Officer: Responsible for ESG and sustainability-related disclosures.
  • Chief People Officer: Oversees integration of DEI into hiring, recruitment practices, and employee loyalty and engagement.

Policy review

BlueCat will review this policy annually, as well as on an as-needed basis when circumstances warrant.

Last updated: June 6, 2024