Balancing Profit and Purpose – feat. Internet Fusion Group

The purpose of our series “Balancing Profit and Purpose” is to feature fellow businesses on that mission, to hopefully inspire many more to join the movement. We showcase those companies that intend to use business as a force for good.

As part of this, we caught up with Adam Hall, Head of Sustainability at Internet Fusion Group. IFG is a global e-commerce niche retailer with a rich mix of technology, creativity, sustainability and innovation.

Josh @ ADLIB: For some background information, who are you as a business and what makes your business offering unique?

Adam: IFG is a global e-commerce niche retailer with a rich mix of technology, creativity, innovation and sustainability.

Through an unwavering focus on service, simplicity and sustainability we provide marketing leading retail experiences in specialist markets.

From dressage days to big swell strike missions, being immersed in the cultural lifestyles of these activities gives the Internet Fusion Group a unique make-up of talented individuals. This specialisation and expertise facilitates authenticity, trust, and a premium context for our customers. Via streamlined operations, proprietary software, and a state of the art warehouse facility we support this context with a market-leading service.

A key differentiator for IFG is its well regarded sustainability drive and ongoing achievements:

• IFG have reduced our direct emissions by 93.67% since our 2018 baseline
• And actively encourage the 1000+ brands they work with to take positive climate action, through the POW Pledge that they co-developed with Protect Our Winters UK
• IFG are well regarded for the Zero Plastic Pollution strategy that started in 2015, achieving 99.72% plastic free outbound packaging
• IFG packaging is made up from 96.72% recycled content, is biodegradable and recyclable and achieved 84.92% recycling rates in its distribution centre
• Again they actively work with the brands they deal with to limit excessive and less sustainable packaging.

Josh @ ADLIB: What got you interested in joining the movement to balance Profit and Purpose and what has been your journey so far?

Adam: IFG service a community of outdoor lovers, who are on the front line and experiencing some of the challenges our beloved environment is facing. They expect the suppliers of their kit, quite rightly, to have the minimal impact on the very environment they intend to use the kit in. IFG being part of the communities it serves are more than happy to oblige and push the boundaries and be front runners in the sustainability field, and gaining global recognition for doing so; being a case study for the World Business Council for sustainable development and the Ellen McCarthy Foundations new plastic economy (both use to help inform legislation) and talking in the Northern Ireland Houses of Parliament.

Josh @ ADLIB: In your case, what does it mean for your workers, customers, community and environmental considerations?

Adam: The unmovable sustainability efforts of the company is critical to how the business functions in the 21^st centaury. But its also great for business; staff want to work in the purpose driven company and stay. Customers return time and time again realising that IFG can assist them reduce their impact. Brands want to work with the business being able to represent their values through a more sustainable operation.

However, this is the just the icing on the cake, as sustainability equals operational efficiency and therefore cost savings.

Doing the right thing sustainably makes sense on every level.