Responsible Business

Responsible Business

Driving Positive Outcomes Through Responsible Action

At FourNet, responsible business is built into in how we work every day.

We see our customers as long-term partners and focus on delivering lasting outcomes, not simply technical solutions.

That same approach shapes how we manage environmental, social and governance responsibility - reducing environmental impact, creating positive social outcomes and building a resilient, sustainable business.

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Our Responsible Business Approach

  • Independent ESG Performance

    Externally benchmarked ESG performance through recognised frameworks and independent assessments.

  • Delivering Measurable Social Value

    Community initiatives, employment and partnerships delivering meaningful social value outcomes alongside our services.

  • Environmental Responsibility

    A practical, evidence-led approach to reducing our environmental footprint and supporting sustainable progress

  • EcoVadis Silver Rating

    Top 7% Globally

    For sustainability performance in 2025, significantly exceeding the sector average of 49.87.

  • Social Value Delivered

    £3m+

    Generated through employment, skills development, wellbeing, community activity and environmental initiatives.

  • Carbon Emissions Reduction

    12.14% ↓

    Compared with 2024, reflecting continued focus on reducing emissions across our operations

Independent Validation

We believe trust is built through transparency, measurable outcomes, and independent assessment. 

That's why we benchmark our environmental, social and governance performance through recognised external frameworks and welcome third-party scrutiny of our progress. External ratings and awards help validate our approach, demonstrate credibility to customers and stakeholders, and ensure we remain focused on continuous improvement as we work toward our long-term ESG goals. Practitioner insight: if work is built around workarounds, your best people become the safety net, and burnout becomes a hidden operational dependency.

EcoVadis Silver Rating

Top 7% globally for sustainability performance (2025).

FourNet achieved a Silver rating in the 2025 EcoVadis sustainability assessment, scoring 73/100 and placing us in the top 7% of organisations globally. This significantly exceeds the sector average of 49.87.

EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability benchmarking provider, assessing more than 130,000 companies worldwide across environmental, social and governance criteria.

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Leadership in Social Value Award

Palatine Private Equity - Pioneers in ESG Awards (2025)

Our responsible business approach was recognised with the Leadership in Social Value Award, presented by Palatine Private Equity as part of their Pioneers in ESG Awards.

"FourNet has gone beyond compliance to create measurable impact, demonstrating that responsible business can be a competitive strength."
Stephanie Wall, Senior Sustainability Director, Palatine Private Equity

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"Responsible business is part of every aspect of our operations, from the transformative solutions we deliver for customers, to the positive social and environmental impacts we achieve in the communities where we work. It is the right thing to do and just as importantly, we enjoy doing it.”

Richard Pennington, Chief Executive Officer

Over £3 Million of Social Value Delivered

We believe responsible business should create measurable impact. Through our investment in employment, skills, wellbeing, communities and the environment, FourNet has generated more than £3 million in social value, delivering positive outcomes that extend beyond our business. From creating employment opportunities and investing in apprenticeships to supporting community initiatives and reducing environmental impact, we focus on delivering lasting value for our people, our customers and the communities we serve. Social value is calculated using the MeasuredUp methodology.

Community Partnerships and Initiatives

Creating meaningful impact for the communities we support

Supporting Customers and Communities

Applying our expertise to deliver meaningful social value alongside customer services

Delivering Meaningful Social Value Together

Explore how FourNet works with customers to deliver measurable social value outcomes through community partnerships, digital inclusion initiatives and skills-based programmes. Speak to our team to discuss how we can support your organisation’s social value priorities.

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Supporting a More Sustainable Future

Environmental responsibility is embedded across FourNet, shaping how we operate, invest and grow. From reducing emissions and supporting sustainable travel to strengthening environmental governance and supply chain practices, we are focused on making meaningful progress while creating long-term value for our customers, people and communities.

Understanding our environmental impact is the first step towards reducing it. We have measured and reported our carbon emissions since 2021, helping to identify where emissions occur and where action can have the greatest effect.

In 2025, our total carbon footprint was 307.89 tCO₂e, representing a 12.14% reduction compared with 2024. This decrease reflects continued focus on reducing emissions across our operations, travel and day-to-day business activities. While emissions increased temporarily following acquisitions in 2024, our overall trend remains positive as we work towards our ambition of achieving net zero by 2050.

  • Total Carbon Footprint (2025)

    307.89 tCO₂e

  • Carbon reduction vs 2024

    12.14%↓
Download our Carbon Reduction Plan

Talk to us about ESG delivery

If you would like to learn more about how FourNet delivers environmental, social and governance outcomes through our services and partnerships, complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.

Our Approach

  • Discovery

    Share your priorities and challenges with our team.

  • Analysis

    We review your current environment and opportunities.

  • Roadmap

    Tailored strategy for a secure customer experience.

“We love to support the development of our staff and volunteers and the course that FourNet ran for us did exactly that, it is a skill set that is really important in our day to day roles.”
Lucy Greenland, The Lighthouse, Woking

Our ESG Working Group

Our ESG Working Group meets monthly to ensure environmental, social and governance priorities remain embedded in our business strategy

  • Sarah Keedy
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Sarah Keedy
  • Stephanie Whittaker
    Chief People Officer
    Stephanie Whittaker

Our Partnership with Palatine

In June 2021, leading mid-market investor Palatine Private Equity acquired a majority stake in FourNet. Since then, we have worked closely with Palatine to strengthen our responsible business strategy, supported by their long-standing commitment to ESG-led value creation. Our progress has been recognised through Palatine’s Leadership in Social Value Award, reflecting FourNet’s outcomes-driven approach to delivering measurable impact for customers, communities and stakeholders.
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