How Connection Used Materiality to Prepare for Disclosure, Regulation and Growth
Challenge
Connection faced growing pressure on multiple fronts: enterprise customers were asking more detailed ESG questions in procurement processes; regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Europe were introducing new climate and human capital disclosure requirements; and ratings agencies such as CDP and EcoVadis were becoming more influential. The company needed a clear picture of which environmental, social, and governance issues were most material to its operations and stakeholders—so it could respond with precision, rather than guesswork.
Connection partnered with TripleWin to conduct its first materiality assessment, aiming to clarify strategic ESG priorities, inform internal action planning, and improve transparency in public disclosures.
Solutions Delivered
TripleWin guided Connection through a comprehensive, standards-based materiality assessment using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI 3) methodology. The process included:
- Interviews with executive leaders, employees, OEM suppliers, and distributors
- Proxy interviews representing diverse customer segments
- A company-wide employee survey, with a 30% response rate
- Benchmarking of industry peers and ESG frameworks to identify relevant topics
- Development of a materiality matrix ranking the 25 most material ESG topics by business and stakeholder importance
From a longlist of ESG issues, the project distilled a focused set of critical priorities—spanning environmental impacts, employee experience, data security, and corporate governance. The findings were delivered in an executive summary presentation that aligned ESG priorities with business risk, stakeholder concern, and long-term strategy.
Project Learnings
The process revealed that some of Connection’s most critical ESG issues were already partially addressed through internal programs—such as e-waste reduction efforts and robust customer data privacy systems.
But other areas, such as climate resilience, management diversity, and external communication of existing sustainability initiatives, were underdeveloped and presented both risks and opportunities for Connection. TripleWin helped identify which emerging issues—like strategic sustainability partnerships and carbon emissions management—should move higher on the company’s priority list in future planning cycles.
Client Outcomes
The materiality assessment provided Connection with a clear, stakeholder-validated set of ESG priorities, enabling the company to move from compliance-driven efforts to a proactive, growth-oriented sustainability strategy. Key outcomes of the project include:
- A materiality matrix identifying the top ESG issues for both stakeholders and the business
- A shared framework to guide ESG reporting and regulatory preparedness
- Enhanced ability to support customer-facing disclosures, strengthening the company’s position in competitive RFPs and sales engagements
- Stronger internal alignment across departments on where to focus ESG efforts first
By aligning its sustainability priorities with stakeholder expectations and long-term business objectives, Connection is better equipped to attract values-aligned customers, meet emerging procurement standards, and differentiate itself in a crowded IT solutions market. The materiality assessment served as the foundation for building out the company’s strategic sustainability roadmap, helping the company grow responsibly—while signaling to customers, suppliers, and investors that it is ready to lead on sustainability within the industry and among its peers.
Experts
TripleWin Advisory is a boutique corporate consultancy focused on circularity solutions for industry. TripleWin offers a suite of tools to support clients in charting a practical, circular and sustainable course for their business. These tools include:
- Carbon inventories and setting science-based and Net Zero carbon goals
- Materiality assessments and sustainability roadmaps
- Building circular business models supported by financial analysis
- Risk scenario models using the TCFD framework
- Workshops and courses to build employee agency and corporate competency
We work with leaders in the following industries: apparel, footwear & textiles; information technology; metals; beauty; food & beverage; healthcare; building construction; human resource management; and retail.
TripleWin Advisory is an approved CDP climate change consultancy Accredited Service Provider (ASP). We are woman-founded, owned and led; a public benefit company.
Connection is a Fortune 1000, publicly-traded IT solutions provider serving a broad base of SME, enterprise, and government clients. With operations across the United States, the company delivers IT products and services that support complex technology environments—from procurement and configuration to ongoing management and service.
Headquarters:Merrimack, New Hampshire
Industry:
IT solutions and services
Main Product:
Computer systems, software, and infrastructure solutions
In their words
The TripleWin team shared a wealth of knowledge with us and gave us crystal clear guidance on what we should be prioritizing at this stage of our journey. Their work output was incredibly thorough. The outcome of our time together was user-friendly dashboard showing every detail of our carbon inventory. Every interaction that we had with TripleWin was friendly and professional and I cannot wait to work with them again.