Top 3 Sustainable Practices to Transform Your Office |

Sustainability has become much more than a buzzword in the 21st century.

Climate change has been a major issue and point of concern amongst scientists for decades, but only now – with the realization of worst-case scenarios on a global level – are more governments and enterprises taking that concern seriously.

Carbon emissions and their reduction with carbon credits for example have dominated the conversation around sustainability, particularly in the private sector.

However, there is a wide range of ways in which businesses can meet the demands of both public pressure and government intervention in order to adopt sustainability as a central practice and forge a more equitable future for the environment.

1. Digitise Documentation

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The first step that many businesses take to a more sustainable future is to reduce their reliance on paper. The printing of paper documents, whether for correspondence or simply for storage, is a relatively outdated practice in general. It is also one with a surprisingly immense environmental impact, from the trees felled to make paper to the large carbon footprint associated with ink production.

Invariably, the software is the solution to the paper problem. For example, payroll software enables HR departments to eliminate the paper salary slip in favor of generating digital documents, while wider cloud collaboration software allows staff to share and iterate project information without printing a page. General workplace habits could also change to suit this new directive, with more stringent rules ensuring any necessary paper documentation is recycled or stored appropriately.

2. Promote Energy Efficiency

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Energy efficiency is the foremost manner in which both businesses and individuals approach sustainable practice. Mitigating energy usage is a straightforward route to reducing greenhouse gas release and other forms of environmental pollution. Infrastructural change can be key to this, but many businesses do not own their premises – making sustainability-focused boiler and insulation upgrades a matter of petition (to landlords and management companies) as opposed to one of action.

Still, there are small ways in which a business can address its energy usage on-premises. Signage can be used to remind employees to switch lights off when exiting rooms, or to turn off computers and equipment on their desks before they leave. The office’s heating system could also be programmed to work less often, or with a slightly lower temperature setting.

3. Reduce Water Waste

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A less talked-about corner of sustainability and conservation is that of water and its conservation. The importance of the UK’s water resources has become much clearer in the past year, though, as ancient water sources run dry in service of industrial water supply – and as private water companies continue to demonstrate a dereliction of duty in their handling of sewage and waste water.

These challenges are never going to be adequately met by changes in individual habits. But, if a business can successfully inculcate in its staff a sense of responsibility towards water usage on-premises, it can greatly reduce its own impact on the local environment and water supply.

This could be achieved simply through reminders to use kitchen areas sensibly, but wider sustainability training can help give staff members the tools to more actively participate in water sustainability. Meanwhile, the renovation of bathroom spaces to use automatic flushing and faucet technology can also help reduce passive water overuse.

Hopefully, the above top three sustainable practices to implement in your workspace or office inspire you and your team to get started with being greener at work and at home.

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