OpenText has announced its receipt of several prestigious Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) recognitions and achievements, including qualifying as a constituent of the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI) for the second year in a row as well as receiving its second consecutive “AAA” rating from MSCI. Both achievements demonstrate the company’s long-term commitment to sustainability.
“Climate change is the greatest global challenge of our time,” said Mark J. Barrenechea, CEO & CTO of OpenText. “Our future depends on our individual and collective actions to drive real change. We must stand united to combat climate change and take concrete actions to reduce emissions, transition to a low carbon economy and protect the environment we share. At OpenText, we believe technology innovation plays a critical role, and we are committed to growth that is both inclusive and sustainable.”
The DJSI North America Index is comprised of sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global. The index evaluates corporate ESG progress across industries on several Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) forefronts – ethical business conduct, shareholder transparency, corporate governance, gender equality, workplace safety, social reporting, and climate action strategy. OpenText secured its spot as one of nine software companies across North America to be included in the DJSI.
OpenText also received its second consecutive “AAA” rating from MSCI, positioning the company as a leader among more than 500 companies evaluated in the software & services industry. MSCI ESG Ratings measure a company’s management of financially relevant ESG risks and opportunities using rules-based methodology. The AAA rating, which for OpenText includes top recognition in the categories of Corporate Behavior, Human Capital Development, Privacy & Data Security, Opportunities in Clean Tech, and Carbon Emissions, reflects the company’s dedication to continuous improvement and commitment to sustainability as well as excellence in ESG practices.
In 2022, OpenText unveiled the OpenText Zero-In Initiative, the company’s guiding framework for achieving its global impact goals relating to ESG commitments and programs. Defined by three main pillars – Zero Footprint, Zero Barriers and Zero Compromise – the Zero-In Initiative is characterized by commitments relating to achieving net zero by 2040, achieving 50/50 gender parity in key roles, maintaining the highest degree of transparency, and more. Last year, OpenText shared its plans to zero-in even further, aligning its Corporate Citizenship and DE&I efforts with six of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs): Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Reduced Inequalities, and Climate Action.
Recognizing the company’s path to inclusive and sustainable growth
Over the last several months, OpenText has continued to be recognized as an ESG industry leader, celebrating milestones and the receipt of several prominent awards and acknowledgements including:
- Placement on Time World’s Best Companies 2023 list.
- Being named to Forbes’ 2023 lists recognizing World’s Top Companies for Women, World’s Best Employers, Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity, and most recently, Canada’s Best Employers for 2024.
- Recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, and Canada’s Best Employers for Recent Grads.
- A Silver Stevie Award for Achievement in Diversity & Inclusion 2023.
- A Silver Medal from EcoVadis, the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. Placing in the 88th percentile, this is the fifth consecutive medal that OpenText has been awarded from EcoVadis, with the highest score achieved to-date.
- Raising over $2.5 million and providing more than 10 million meals to those in need over the last four years as part of the OpenText Holiday Food Bank campaign, helping to combat food insecurity around the world.
Expanding the number of OpenText Employee Network groups which now include Worldwide OpenText Women, Black Empowerment & Excellence, Indigenous & Allies, Queer Pride & Allies, TruABILITY, Salute, InspirASIAN, Planet, and Familia, and focus on supporting women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, Veterans, people with disabilities, the environment, and more.
“At OpenText, we know that our path to inclusive and sustainable growth requires continued and ongoing commitment,” said Julie Millard, VP of Corporate Citizenship at OpenText. “We are extremely proud of our efforts to-date, and we are excited to continue to embrace every opportunity to reduce our footprint, remove barriers and create a lasting impact for years to come.”