How to Create a More Sustainable Workplace Environment

In recent years the issue of sustainability has become an increasingly hot topic for businesses, especially regarding working environments and how implementing everyday initiatives can help reverse some of the damage on our wider environment as well as creating better habits for the future.

What is a sustainable workplace?

Sustainability can be described as “meeting human needs now, and in the future, whilst conserving and enhancing the natural environment.” A sustainable workplace aims to create a balance between the “planet, people, and profit to produce success and viability in the long-term” as well as make decisions with the environment in mind. 

Here are some ways you can make your workplace more sustainable…

Hold virtual conferences/meetings

Hosting your workplace meetings and conferences virtually, rather than in-person, is a great way to implement more sustainable workplace practices. Not only is this more eco-friendly but it also saves time, effort and even emissions as travel is taken out of the equation. Virtual meetings can also make it easier to include more people with the option to invite people from all across the globe, which can enrich many different business efforts. 

Electronics management

Monitoring and managing workplace electronics can allow you to reduce energy consumption as well as cost! There are a number of ways to manage your electricals to make your office more sustainable, here are some examples:

• Making sure lights are switched off when not in use or installing motion sensors
• Ensuring office machinery is regularly cleaned and repaired
• Replacing computers with laptops 
• Substitute old machinery and appliances with new, energy-efficient pieces of equipment

Aim to go paperless

The idea of this is to limit any unnecessary printing and paper wastage by utilizing more digital means. You can do this by creating digital newsletters and sending them via email, having a shared storage space for file sharing online and using digital resources for note taking and training materials. When using paper is unavoidable, be sure to recycle any waste and only purchase 100% recycled paper. 

Create a green committee

Assembling a green committee with your workplace will help guide and motivate your teams to make more sustainable decisions. As well as working towards being more eco-friendly, this is also a great way to improve employee collaboration through building a team made of people from all different departments and teams who wouldn’t always have the chance to work together. 

So what are the benefits of making these changes?

There are huge benefits to making your workplace a sustainable one, apart from reducing your company’s environmental impact! Sustainable working can improve your team’s work life drastically through becoming more flexible as well as encouraging positive behaviours and habits. It’s also a great idea to share your initiatives online as a way to encourage and motivate other companies to do their bit!