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edenseven Supports Direct Wines’ Progress to Net Zero By providing a carbon assessment and supporting global supplier engagement. Direct Wines Ltd (Direct Wines) is an international and independent wine merchant which launched its first non-UK business in 2007 and currently has operations across the globe, with over 450 suppliers in their network and employing approximately 1,000 people. Direct Wines owns Laithwaite’s Wine and Averys in the UK, as well as owning and operating a number of their own vineyards and wine-making facilities in the UK, France, USA, and Australia. Direct Wines engaged edenseven, one of the Cambridge Management Consulting group of companies, to support the acceleration of their sustainability programme, with a clear focus on engaging their supply base. Project Overview To research the different techniques being adopted across the globe to sequester (store) carbon within the wine-growing community. The final report would need to show technical in-depth research and be summarised in a format to enable general circulation. Create a muti-language online questionnaire focussed on benchmarking Direct Wines’ supply chain engagement levels relating to decarbonisation. This analysis would be summarised and presented to the board. To create an engagement plan with key suppliers across multiple regions to provide a variety of consultative services to enable the acceleration of decarbonisation. Skills & Knowledge An environmental expert with an in-depth knowledge of carbon sequestration and best practice techniques. Digital capability to produce a multi-language questionnaire and host it on a separate domain to Direct Wines. A clear understanding of an appropriate questionnaire structure, which will product meaningful quantifiable data, while assuring a high response rate. Experience in delivering bespoke carbon reduction and benchmarking projects across different geographies. Outcome & Results Market Analysis : A structured research paper giving clear guidance on the methods used to sequester carbon across multiple regions. This gave Direct Wines a document which would be distributed to senior stakeholders and suppliers to help positively impact their overall Scope 3 emissions. Supply Chain Assessment : A clear benchmark of Direct Wines supply chains current understanding an progress to achieve net zero. This gave Direct Wines the ability to identify individual suppliers who needed support to move forward. Programme Development : The delivery of a programme of work across selected suppliers which consisted of carbon foot-printing assessment, renewable energy feasibility studies, best practice gap analysis, and data reviews.

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We were approached by one of the fastest growing data centre providers in Europe. With over 20 data centres throughout the continent, they are consistently meeting the need for scalable, high-performance infrastructure. Despite this, a key data centre in Scandinavia had become reliant on a single, non-redundant 1 Gbps internet service from a local provider, posing significant risks to operational continuity. To enhance the reliability of its network and resolve these risks, our client needed to establish additional connectivity paths to ensure the redundancy of its infrastructure. The Ask Cambridge Management Consulting was engaged to address these connectivity challenges by identifying and evaluating potential vendors and infrastructure options to create second and third connectivity paths. This involved exploring various types of connectivity, including internet access, point-to-point capacity, wavelengths, and dark fibre. Additionally, Cambridge MC was asked to provide recommendations for building a local fibre network around the data centre to control and maintain diverse paths. This would allow the data centre to connect directly to nearby points of presence (PoPs) and reduce dependency on external providers, thereby enhancing network resilience and operational control. The goal of this project was to ensure that the Nordic data centre could maintain continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. Approach & Skills Cambridge MC approached the project with a focus on ensuring operational continuity and resilience for the data centre. By identifying multiple connectivity paths, we aimed to mitigate the risk of network failures and ensure that the data centre could maintain continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. This approach allowed Cambridge MC to provide a comprehensive solution to address both immediate and long-term connectivity needs. We employed a combination of Agile and Waterfall methodologies to manage the project. The initial investigative phase allowed a Waterfall approach, in which our team conducted thorough research and analysis to identify potential vendors and connectivity options. This phase involved detailed interviews with various telecommunications providers and an assessment of publicly available information. Once the initial analysis was complete, the workflow transitioned to an Agile approach for the implementation phase. This allowed Cambridge MC to adapt to new information and feedback from stakeholders, ensuring that the final solution was both flexible and robust. Challenges Lack of information: One of the primary obstacles we faced was the lack of detailed network maps and information from some of the potential vendors. To overcome this, the team conducted extensive interviews with contacts at these companies and leveraged its existing network of industry contacts to gather as much information as possible. Remote location: Another challenge was the remote location of the data centre, which limited the availability of local infrastructure and required us to explore creative solutions for connectivity. Cambridge MC addressed this by proposing the construction of a local fibre network around the data centre, which would allow for greater control and flexibility in connecting to nearby PoPs. Fragmented factors: Additionally, coordinating with multiple vendors and ensuring that their services could be integrated seamlessly posed a logistical challenge. We mitigated this by recommending a phased approach to implementation, starting with the most critical connectivity paths and gradually expanding to include additional options. Outcomes & Results Increased Connectivity: Cambridge MC successfully identified and evaluated multiple connectivity paths for the data centre. By exploring various types of connectivity, including internet access, point-to-point capacity, wavelengths, and dark fibre, we provided a comprehensive solution that significantly enhanced network resilience and reliability. Greater Control & Flexibility: Our recommendations for building a local fibre network around the data centre allowed for greater control and flexibility in connecting to nearby points of presence, ensuring continuous operations even in the event of a failure in the primary connection. New Vendors: The team’s extensive network of industry contacts and deep understanding of the regional telecommunications landscape allowed for a thorough and nuanced evaluation of potential vendors and connectivity options. Scope for Future Work: Cambridge MC identified several future developments with the potential to further enhance international connectivity and provide additional redundancy for the data centre. We also proposed further assistance, including a site visit for a more in-depth analysis of options, issuing RFI/RFP to vendors for capacity and fibre, and conducting similar connectivity studies for other candidate sites in the region.

Thames Freeport this week revealed the eight companies selected to participate in the Freeport’s Connectivity Lab, an initiative focused on validating commercially proven technologies in live port and logistics environments.