At fuelGenie and as part of the global secure payment’s leader Worldline, we are continuously working towards improving the carbon footprint of our business and our customers’ businesses. We are currently planning and evolving our business strategy to develop more environmentally friendly business services. Read more about Worldlines CSR approach.
In this article we look at some simple and quick steps you can take as a business to move towards a more environmentally friendly way of thinking and working.
Recycling and using recycled resources
Conserving the planets natural resources and avoiding adding more waste to landfill sites should be a key priority for all businesses. Recycling and using recycled resources is one of the easiest ways to do this. Consider all materials that are purchased by your business, can any of these be purchased from a more sustainable resource? Notepads, pens, napkins, tea bags, milk, printer ink, packaging, and cardboard boxes, every one of these items can be purchased from a source that uses recycled materials. Switching all your purchases over to recycled alternatives immediately may not be a realistic option. We suggest you aim to set out a plan to change all suppliers to a more environmentally friendly option within a realistic timeframe.
Online meetings
Covid-19 has shown the world how technology can be used to bring people together, whether that’s family and friends or colleagues working together. It has also allowed us all to see the benefits of face-to-face meeting. Being able to identify the situations where a face-to-face meeting are required and the times where a virtual meeting would work can be difficult and a hard subject to address. An easy way to help reduce a business’s carbon footprint is to only hold physical meetings when it is necessary. Moving regular catch ups which require travel, to digital meetings that can be done from home, can not only help save the planet but can save time, money, and resource.
Create an environment team
Find employees who are passionate about the environment within your business, use their natural passion and enthusiasm to bring great ideas to the table. Their knowledge about what goes on within the business will also help make these ideas relevant and actionable. Allow them time out of their work duties and budget to explore ways to make the business more environmentally friendly. If possible, try to get mixture of employees from each department, they will each have their own ideas and knowledge of specifically what can be improved in each area of the business. They can then work together to form a cohesive environmental strategy that can cover the whole business.
Turn it off
Turning off the heating, lights, and power can not only help your business reduce carbon emissions but can save money on energy bills. Many areas of your business may not be used all the time, especially if you have a working from home option. This change in working practice may leave your office empty part or most of the week. By encouraging employees to collaborate and come into the office on certain days you may be able to shut down the office on other days of the week. This will go a long way to reduce the energy use of your business and your carbon footprint.
Encourage employees to turn things off when they see they’re not being used. An easy way to incentivise a green approach to work is to award employees for being green. A “greenest employee” award could add a competitive element which will further help to mould the office culture to become more environmentally friendly.
