Responsible operating standards.

People working with Pallas Ventures and its portfolio companies should be assessed on relevant ability, contribution and potential.

Background should not create an unnecessary barrier to opportunity.

As the organisation grows, recruitment, collaboration and progression should follow fair and professional standards. Decisions should be based on factors relevant to the role or work rather than assumptions about gender, ethnicity, nationality, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, family circumstances or social background.

High standards and equal opportunity are complementary. The objective is consistent, role-relevant assessment and fair treatment.

Discrimination, harassment and degrading behaviour are incompatible with the working standards expected across the portfolio.

Accessibility

Where practical, digital products should be designed so that people can use them effectively across different abilities, devices and circumstances. Accessibility should be considered within product design and engineering rather than treated as a late-stage compliance exercise.

Measurement

As the organisation grows, relevant measures may be introduced where they support better decisions and accountable reporting. We will publish quantitative commitments only where the underlying data and measurement method are sufficiently reliable.

Our principle Remove unnecessary barriers, maintain high standards and apply them consistently.

We aim to reduce avoidable environmental impact as portfolio companies develop and to make environmental claims only where they can be supported by appropriate evidence.

Digital operations still have physical and energy costs.

Software depends on infrastructure, storage, computation and data transfer. Physical products add materials, packaging, sourcing and transport. These factors should be considered within relevant operating decisions.

Efficient technology

Technology businesses should avoid unnecessary computation, excessive storage and inefficient infrastructure where technically and commercially sound alternatives are available.

Operational efficiency can also improve performance, resilience and unit economics, so environmental and commercial incentives often align.

Infrastructure and commerce

When selecting infrastructure and suppliers, environmental performance may form part of the decision alongside security, reliability, privacy, portability and commercial viability.

For ventures involving physical products, relevant considerations include packaging, sourcing, materials, transport and product life.

Evidence-based claims

Environmental claims should be specific, measurable where possible and proportionate to the evidence available.

Pallas Ventures and its portfolio companies will not be described as carbon neutral, net zero or climate positive without adequate evidence supporting the relevant claim and scope.

As portfolio companies become larger and easier to measure, environmental impact should be assessed with greater precision and avoidable impact reduced where reasonably practicable.

Our principle Measure what matters, reduce avoidable waste and make only supportable claims.