Sustainability at Speeki
As a provider of solutions in the ESG and Sustainability space, ESG must also be embedded within the Speeki organisation, and we practise it every day.
Like all companies, we have followed a model for ESG and Sustainability. In our case at Speeki, we have adopted our own model, which we recommend to our clients. We conducted an importance and materiality assessment across the organisation to evaluate each of the 20+ risk areas and have identified certain areas of focus.
Each of these areas is shown below, along with some commentary on how we are addressing the issues at Speeki.
As a reminder, everything is risk-based. Some aspects that are low risk for Speeki and not our focus may be very different for your company. You need to consider everything in perspective.
Emerging
Climate Stability
Speeki regards climate change not just as a standalone environmental issue but as a global cross-cutting challenge to which we need to adapt in order to remain profitable.
The physical risks associated with more frequent severe weather events and lasting environmental changes, along with the transition risks posed by the policy and technological changes necessary to achieve a greener economy, are ever-present in our minds.
As a software company and consulting group, we do not have large physical footprints and we do not engage in manufacturing. However, it is part of our approach to consider the climate in everything we do. Given the size and nature of our business, this focus is currently directed towards reducing air travel, using greener hosting solutions where available, and minimising our greenhouse gas emissions.
Natural Resources
The planet today is facing unprecedented, interconnected environmental challenges in areas including climate change, water, energy, biodiversity, and agriculture. As businesses rely on natural resources directly and through supply chains, new corporate efforts are needed to address environmental responsibilities, value natural capital, and better understand the linkages between these resources.
Speeki is focused on being green. We have significantly reduced air travel, have no company vehicles, operate from shared offices in green buildings (usually located above or next to electric public train services), and rarely, if ever, use paper. We are committed to finding ways to further cut our consumption of natural resources by banning single-use plastics and prohibiting the use of anything that cannot be recycled.
Waste Management
Waste management refers to the practice of collecting, transporting, processing, disposing of, managing, and monitoring various waste materials. It is important to observe sustainability in this essential practice so that waste is managed as efficiently as possible, minimising its negative impacts on the environment, human health, and future generations.
The goal of Speeki’s sustainable waste management is to reduce the consumption of natural resources, reuse materials sourced from nature, and create as little waste as possible. We do not produce a large amount of waste in our business, and our current focus is to increase recycling efforts.
Energy Innovation
Although the clean energy innovation movement began years ago, following greater awareness of greenhouse gases and their effects, its efforts have recently been bolstered by government incentives and increased attention from the global news media.
At Speeki, our focus is to be in green buildings wherever possible. Even though most of our operations are in shared offices or conducted from home, we are committed to using less energy whenever possible.
Human Capital Management
Human Capital Management (HCM) is the set of practices an organisation uses for recruiting, managing, developing, and optimising employees to increase their value to the company. While Human Resource Management (HRM) primarily focuses on core administrative HR functions, such as maintaining employee records and administering benefits, Human Capital Management is a broader term that encompasses HRM functions as well as strategic functions, including analytics and performance management. Effective Human Capital Management facilitates the organisation’s hiring of the right talent, ensures that all needed skill sets are present in the workforce, manages employees effectively, and increases productivity.
At Speeki, we are still a small group, so our HCM initiatives are focused on "doing the right thing." As we grow and expand, we will concentrate on scaling that process to create a great work environment for everyone.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Just as general society’s increasing awareness of the importance that diversity and inclusion play in the world’s development intensifies, so does the business case for organisations to include a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy in their management system. Our diversity at Speeki will allow us to outperform our industry peers.
Our focus is to have diversity in thought, styles, activities as well as diversity in language, culture, race and gender. Our business is more than 65% women, who are of Asian, Hispanic and Caucasian descent.
Our team derives from Australia, South Korea, the USA, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Mexico, the UK, France and Colombia, and we are always looking for more diversity.
Supply Chain and Partner Management
A value chain is a business model that describes the full range of activities needed to create a product or service. For companies that provide services like Speeki, a value chain encompasses the steps involved in bringing a product from conception to sale, including development, marketing, sales, and support. It also includes supply chain and partner management.
Speeki has conducted a value chain analysis by evaluating the detailed procedures involved in each step of our business. This area presents a low ESG risk, as the majority of services we procure are development resources and technology support.
Society
Speeki looks beyond our own business and seeks to be an active stakeholder in society over the long term. In addition to charitable giving, we are strong supporters of ESG and the impact it can have, and we will continue to raise awareness of the ESG cause. This is our way of making the corporate world more responsible.
We are interested in supporting the markets in which we operate by providing services and our platform on a no-cost or low-cost basis for charities and groups focused on supporting communities.
Human Rights and Modern-Day Slavery
Respecting and supporting human rights remains one of the most challenging areas of corporate sustainability. Speeki has communicated our zero tolerance for any form of modern-day slavery, forced labour, or human trafficking in any part of our business or supply chain. Our assessment indicates that this is a very low risk for Speeki; however, we continue to monitor the situation because it is crucial.
Speeki uses its own tools to manage aspects of these risks through the Speeki Platform.
Data Privacy and Information Security
A large part of a data protection strategy is ensuring that customer data is protected and can be restored quickly after any corruption or loss. Protecting data from compromise and ensuring data privacy are other key components of what we do at Speeki.
We take these matters seriously and are ISO 27001 certified for our information security.
The protection and access to individuals’ private data are increasingly important as new international laws, most notably the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR 2018), come into effect.We are constantly seeking ways to tighten our compliance in this area and to provide even more flexible tools for our clients. Currently, we have solutions that allow clients to host data in multiple locations while keeping their data in Europe. We also have intracompany agreements in place to support our employees from one region providing assistance to a client in another, on the rare occasions that it occurs and we access private data.
Health and Safety
Speeki is a small team that operates from home or the office. Our risk assessment indicates that mental health is likely our most significant risk, and we are focused on protecting our people, workplace productivity, and morale. We achieve this through open engagement, dialogue, support, and respect for individuals and their mental health needs.
Board
As a small private company owned by one shareholder, the Board of Speeki presents less risk than that of a traditional company. Our CEO serves as both the Board director and chairman and is supported by two non-executive directors. As we grow our business, we will consider expanding the Board to bring in additional talent, diversity, and non-executives. While this is not our current focus, we will continue to review it as part of our annual risk assessment of our ESG risks.
Corporate Governance
Corporate governance is important because it establishes a system of rules and practices that determine how a company operates and how it aligns the interests of all its stakeholders. Good corporate governance fosters ethical business practices, which in turn contribute to financial viability. The basic principles of corporate governance are accountability, transparency, fairness, and responsibility.
We are improving governance more generally through better controls, systems, signature authorities, and other measures, but our governance model is still young and will evolve as the company grows.
Speeki uses its own tools to manage aspects of corporate governance through the Speeki Platform.
The framework we use is ISO 37000.
Compliance
The definition of compliance is “the action of complying with a command,” or “the state of meeting rules or standards.” In the corporate world, it’s defined as the process of making sure your company and employees follow all laws, regulations, standards, and ethical practices that apply to your organisation and industry.
Corporate compliance covers both internal policies and procedures, as well as national and local laws. Enforcing compliance helps your company prevent and detect violations of rules, protecting your organisation from fines and lawsuits.
The compliance process at Speeki is ongoing. Its purpose is to grow and protect our business by helping us avoid waste, fraud, abuse, discrimination, and other practices that disrupt operations and put our company at risk.
Our corporate compliance programme is integrated with all compliance efforts company-wide, from managing external regulations and internal policies to comprehensive employee training. By ensuring that all departments and staff work together to maintain standards, we mitigate the risk of major failures and violations.
Speeki uses its own tools to manage compliance aspects through the Speeki Platform.
The framework we use is ISO 37301.
Bribery and Corruption
Corruption impacts every aspect of society. Its effects are not always immediately obvious, but if left untreated, it will inevitably erode trust in systems and institutions. Corruption is a malign force that perpetuates poverty, sows insecurity, and robs the world’s most vulnerable people of desperately needed public services. Given our business, corruption poses a very low risk at Speeki.
We do not engage with government officials, are not highly regulated, and never deal in cash or cash equivalents. We do not currently sell products to government departments.
Additionally, we do not give expensive gifts, engage in lavish entertainment, or pay for travel for customers. Our charitable donations are limited to large, well-known entities and are never associated with clients.
The framework we use is ISO 37001.
Risk Management
Speeki understands its risks and manages them actively and proactively. We focus on minimising the potential negative consequences of risks while maximising positive outcomes. Our risk management practices make jobs safer, enhance project success, reduce unexpected events, and result in significant financial benefits. Speeki conducts an annual risk assessment of our business, which is documented at both board and management levels. We use our own tools to manage the collection of risks annually through Speeki Survey.
The framework we use is ISO 31000.
Transparency
Transparency in business is the basis for trust between an organisation and its investors, customers, partners, and employees. Being transparent means being honest and open when communicating with stakeholders about matters related to the business.
Speeki believes in transparency, and this page is an example of that commitment. We believe that transparency builds trust and generates goodwill. Speeki is happy to engage with anyone and discuss our business, our structure, our shareholdings, and our investments at any time.
Our business is owned by one individual, Scott Lane, who serves as our Chairman of the Board and CEO. The headquarters of the business is in Singapore, with subsidiaries in the UK, USA, France, and Hong Kong. All subsidiaries are 100% owned by the headquarters entity in Singapore.
Ethics and Integrity
Ethics are principles that guide behaviour, while integrity suggests that we should carry out ethical principles in our daily lives and activities, rather than espousing one ideal and then doing something contradictory. A person of integrity will demonstrate good character by being free of corruption and hypocrisy. Integrity is revealed when people act virtuously regardless of circumstance or consequences. This often requires moral courage. Integrity is the critical connection between ethics and moral action.
Integrity in the workplace is paramount at Speeki. We encourage all our leaders to lead with integrity and understand that their actions, words, and decisions shape the company’s values, culture, and morale. Honesty and integrity at Speeki establish trust among stakeholders, strengthening the organisation’s credibility. As we strive to retain customers and employees, our credibility serves as the driving force influencing their decision to stay.
Whistleblowing
Speeki takes this seriously as it is central to our core business. We use our own tools as part of our system, and whistleblowers, as well as others who raise concerns, understand that there will be no retaliation after a concern is raised.
Our programme is based on the ISO 37002 framework, and we adopt those guidelines as part of our approach to managing whistleblowing.