MASHINIi

SOFTCAT PLC.

SCT.LSE | Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment and software

Softcat PLC is a UK-based IT infrastructure and services provider. The company primarily focuses on providing solutions and services to businesses and public sector organizations. Their offerings include software licensing, hardware procurement, IT infrastructure management, cybersecurity solutions,...Show More

Ethical Profile

Mixed.

Softcat PLC demonstrates a mixed ethical profile. The company actively supports healthcare, securing patient data for NHS Trusts and winning a £4 million contract with Liverpool University Hospitals. It also converted its Marlow office into a COVID-19 vaccination centre. Softcat is a Living Wage Employer, recognized as the UK's 5th best workplace in 2023, and achieved carbon neutrality in 2021, aiming for a net-zero supply chain by 2040. However, critics point to its engagement with defense entities, including 487 contracts with the Ministry of Defence and collaboration with AWE Nuclear Secure Technologies. An anonymous employee review from January 2020 allegedly cited issues of bullying, sexual harassment, and racism, to which Softcat stated it takes such allegations seriously and encourages reporting via its 'Speak Up' hotline.

Value Scores

Better Health for All0
-100100
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity0
-100100
Fair Pay & Worker Respect20
-100100
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing20
-100100
Honest & Fair Business-50
-100100
Kind to Animals0
-100100
No War, No Weapons0
-100100
Planet-Friendly Business-20
-100100
Respect for Cultures & Communities10
-100100
Safe & Smart Tech10
-100100
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products-40
-100100

Better Health for All

0

Softcat demonstrated exceptional crisis response during a public health emergency by partnering with Marlow NHS Trust in 2021 to convert part of its Marlow office into a COVID-19 vaccination centre, provided free of charge

1
, which facilitated vaccinations for tens of thousands of local residents
2
. The company also exhibits industry-leading practices in healthcare data responsibility by offering cybersecurity services to healthcare organizations to safeguard sensitive patient data
3
and is part of a £250 million NHS cyber security framework
4
. Softcat's IT infrastructure and services contribute to better health outcomes by supporting electronic patient records
5
, enhancing network reliability
6
, and enabling digital transformation for NHS Trusts
7
. For its employees, Softcat provides comprehensive mental health programs, including 24 trained Mental Health First Aiders (11 with suicide intervention training in FY2025)
8
, an Employee Assistance Programme with counselling
9
, and dedicated Mental Health Awareness Month activities and wellbeing sessions
10
. The company's core business activities and products do not have direct safety implications, carry health risks requiring disclosure, or have addiction potential. Softcat does not offer health-related products or services requiring public accessibility considerations, nor does it produce or sell food or nutritional products, or engage in public health education or clinical trials.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

0

Softcat PLC is an IT infrastructure and services provider and does not offer lending, deposit, or other direct financial services to consumers. Consequently, KPIs related to financial products, pricing, fees, lending compliance, debt burden, customer finance data, and financial literacy programs are not applicable to its core business model, resulting in a score of 0 for these categories. The company does, however, engage in initiatives that indirectly support economic opportunity. These include promoting SME inclusion in its supply chain, offering educational and apprenticeship programs with a 94% success rate to enhance employability

1
, and making charitable contributions of £470,000.
2
Softcat also focuses on diversity and inclusion within its workforce, achieving 35% female representation
3
and 17% ethnic minority representation
4
, and supporting small businesses through technology empowerment.
5

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

20

Softcat became an accredited Living Wage Employer in 2018, ensuring all employees receive a minimum hourly wage above the government minimum at that time.

1
The company achieved an employee Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 63 in October 2022, indicating high employee satisfaction.
2
Softcat voluntarily publishes annual pay gap reports, including gender, ethnicity, and disability pay gaps, with the 2024 report available on their website.
3
Since 2020, the proportion of female employees below management level increased to 35%, and ethnic minority employees rose to 17%.
4
The company supports various employee networks, such as Supporting Women in Business, The Ethnic and Cultural Network, and The Pride Network.
5
Softcat was recognized as the 5th best workplace in the UK in the Super-Large Category by Great Place to Work® in 2023.
6
The company also has a Modern Slavery Policy, valid from August 2023 to July 2024, committing to preventing forced labor and human trafficking, with no substantiated labor-law or human-rights violations reported.
7

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

20

Softcat PLC ensures that 100% of its suppliers have contracts in place with environmental, social, or ethical clauses, and 100% have signed a supplier code of conduct.

1
These contracts and the Supplier Code of Conduct include specific prohibitions against the use of forced, compulsory, or trafficked labour, child labour, compulsory overtime, violence, harassment, intimidation, discrimination, and confiscation of worker identification documents.
2
The company states it will not tolerate forced, bonded, or compulsory labour, human trafficking, or other forms of slavery within its operations or supply chain.
3
For the period 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, Softcat's modern slavery statement did not refer to finding any International Labour Organization (ILO) indicators of forced labour.
4
The company considers itself to be at low risk of slavery or trafficking, given the nature and locations of its business, with revenues predominantly derived from countries deemed low risk.
5
Softcat has implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct requiring compliance with relevant regulations.
6

Honest & Fair Business

-50

Softcat operates a 'Speak Up' hotline for employees to report incidents

1
, but there is no evidence regarding independent investigation processes for these reports. The company's Supplier Code of Conduct addresses compliance with the Bribery Act 2010
2
, indicating an anti-corruption policy, but details on its strength, enforcement, or specific guidance on issues like facilitation payments are not provided.

Kind to Animals

0

Softcat, an IT services provider, has engaged in several wildlife conservation initiatives. The company invested in the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve, which protects 105,000 endangered orangutans.

1
It also undertook a reforestation project in India, planting 14,970 hectares of eucalyptus trees,
2
and planted 6,000 trees/bushes in the UK.
3
Softcat sponsors ten beehives
4
and made a direct investment of £33,187.50 + VAT in nature restoration projects.
5
Additionally, the company joined a biodiversity partnership with 12 suppliers
6
and its employees volunteered for activities such as revamping a sensory garden at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre,
7
beach cleaning, and marshland clearing with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
8

No War, No Weapons

0

Softcat is a signatory of the UN Global Compact

1
and has publicly committed to its Ten Principles, which cover Human Rights
2
. The company's sustainability report aligns its content with the EU Sustainability Reporting Standards
3
.

Planet-Friendly Business

-20

Softcat's Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) targets have been approved

1
, including a 40% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions
2
and 45% in Scope 3 by 2030
3
, and a 90% reduction across the value chain by 2040
4
, demonstrating validated targets with defined interim checkpoints. The company sources 100% of its electricity for offices from renewable sources
5
, achieving net-zero for purchased power.
6
Softcat's waste diversion rate is 41.99% for FY24
7
, with 81.56 tonnes recycled out of 194.18 tonnes generated.
8
As an IT services provider, material sourcing for product manufacturing is not applicable to its operations. The company achieved carbon neutrality in 2021/2022
9
, ahead of its initial schedule.
10
Softcat fully complies with nine of the eleven recommended TCFD disclosures
11
, indicating partial alignment with climate scenario analysis included. The company also supports local farming communities through a reforestation project in India
12
, providing enhanced livelihoods and income.
13

Respect for Cultures & Communities

10

Softcat PLC ensures 100% of its total workforce receives training on diversity, discrimination, and/or harassment during the employee induction process across all locations.

1
The company has no reported cultural appropriation incidents.
2
Its operations do not inherently impact cultural contexts, making a specific cultural impact assessment protocol not applicable to its business model. Additionally, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes are not applicable to the company's operations, and it has no formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups as not applicable to its business model. The company engages in general charitable giving but does not specifically focus on cultural heritage organizations, and has no cultural incident response framework as it is not applicable to its business model.

Safe & Smart Tech

10

Softcat maintains a strong regulatory compliance program, explicitly adhering to the UK Data Protection Act 2018, Irish Data Protection Act 2018, EU GDPR, and UK GDPR, operating to the higher standard when regulations diverge.

1
Its compliance is reviewed bi-annually by an internal committee, and the company prepares for emerging regulations.
2
Softcat holds comprehensive privacy and security certifications, including ISO/IEC 27001:2013, Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 22301 Business Continuity, ISO 20000-1 IT Service Management, and ISO 9001 Quality Management.
3
The company implements a group-wide information security policy with mandatory security-related training and regular phishing tests for employees.
4
Security testing coverage includes regular internal audits and external testing engagements with third parties, such as an annual penetration test.
5
Users are provided with industry-standard data control options, including the ability to unsubscribe from marketing, be added to a "Do Not Contact" list, and exercise rights like access, rectification, erasure, objection to processing, and data portability.
6

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

-40

Softcat was cited by the Environment Agency for failing to comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations for over a decade, pledging £35,803.99 to The National Trust as a result.

1
In FY2025, the company's operational waste diversion rate was 30.33%.
2
Softcat implements various waste reduction initiatives, including saving 2.5 tonnes of paper in 2022,
3
diverting over 90,000kg of e-waste from landfill,
4
and refurbishing or redeploying 3,212 IT assets through its Managed Device Lifecycle service.
5
For hazardous waste, collections of redundant IT are tracked using hazardous waste consignment notes, ensuring correct reporting to the Environment Agency,
6
and WEEE-compliant disposal reporting is guaranteed for its Managed Device Lifecycle service.
7
The company has a target to send zero operational waste to landfill by 2031
8
and aspires to recover a kilogram of IT hardware for every kilogram sold by 2034.
9
Softcat has comprehensive supplier waste requirements, including a Code of Conduct and Sustainable Procurement Policy.
10
In FY2025, 66% of high or medium risk suppliers completed sustainability assessments, with 35% undertaking corrective actions or receiving support.
11
Softcat also educates customers on environmental statuses, helps them adopt circular IT strategies, and provides pre-purchase guidance and post-use recycling solutions.
12

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AI-generated analysis based on publicly available data. Not financial advice. Ratings are expressions of opinion derived from automated models and may contain inaccuracies. See our Risk Disclosure for full details.