Silverfern IT expands into the eastern states with an ESG mission

Perth-headquartered Silverfern IT has expanded to the eastern states with the appointment of David Martenson as solution director, based in Sydney.

Silverfern CEO Liong Eng said his plans to expand the business after 33 years to the eastern states came about after careful consideration and the opportunities presented in the market from an ESG standpoint. 

“There are plenty of opportunities for IT and service providers in this space to address the market,” he said.

“It’s not easy to implement. You need a platform, good knowledge and a team of people in the business. There are not many companies with good resources or capabilities. We’re also working with like-minded service providers and going into consulting opportunities. We provide the project management and bring in people that do the implementation under our guidance.

“If you pick the right verticals, the business can do so well with the right people and a strong team.”

Australia’s Net Zero Plan will guide the transition to achieve the legislated target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Eng said shareholders and stakeholders of all organisations are increasingly seeking accurate, and high-quality data from ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) engagement to make informed decisions. 

Recognising this need, Silverfern established a division to pursue ESG opportunities and last year secured a significant contract to assist the Western Australian government in implementing an interactive online greenhouse gas emissions tracking and reporting system.

This project included on-boarding approximately 100 agencies to the IBM Envizi ESG platform. 

The primary benefit was the ease of reporting to the government, along with enhanced knowledge of their greenhouse gas emissions. This information enabled them to develop strategies and policies aimed at reducing their carbon footprint, ultimately leading to cost savings.

This year, Silverfern collaborated with a multinational metal recycling business based in Sydney, continuing to provide subject matter expert services utilising the Envizi platform. 

“Our ESG team has expanded to include SMEs, solutions consultants, and project managers,” Eng said. 

Due to emerging opportunities in NSW and Victoria, Eng said Martenson’s appointment will assist its business growth plan. 

These opportunities include providing care and maintenance plans, ESG consultancy services, and implementing ESG solutions focused on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and Climate Risk.

Martenson has more than 15 years of experience advising sustainability leaders on improving ESG and energy outcomes.

Before joining Silverfern IT, he held several customer-facing roles at the sustainability software provider Envizi (now part of IBM), where he helped hundreds of Australian and global organisations leverage technology to enhance ESG disclosure, automate sustainability performance reporting, and operationalise energy efficiency and decarbonisation programs.

Prior to Envizi, David led the data management group at Energetics (now ERM), an Australian climate risk and energy transition consultancy and partner of IBM Envizi.

“With my knowledge of the Australian sustainability legislation and reporting requirements as well as the existing Envizi customer base, I believe I can help guide Envizi customers – existing and new – to making the most of their Envizi investments,” Martenson said. 

“Silverfern is well-positioned to help Australian IBM Envizi customers advance their sustainability goals through leveraging and expanding their investment in Envizi sustainability software. 

“I wanted to leverage my experience working with IBM Envizi team and other Envizi partners in Australia to help Silverfern expand their Envizi related business.”