Help cut down your employee’s carbon footprint by offering a cycle to work scheme. This is not only a great way to go green but also will help keep your employees fit and healthy, as well as improving their mental health and helping them bust stress after a long day in the office. So it’s a win, win situation all round!
1. Cut down on business travel
Traveling for business can be costly not only to your own pockets but to the environment as well. Cutting down on traveling for meetings will not only make sure that you offset your carbon footprint but will also save you money on unnecessary flights, hotel accommodation, transport costs, check out My Baggage for tips on how to ship luggage ahead to cut down on costs. With the developments in technology, it is not always the case that you have to have a business meeting face to face. Discussing business over Skype or other video calling technology is now increasingly popular. Only travel for business meetings when they are unavoidable, as otherwise you are just wasting money and contributing to global warming.
2. Move to electric
If you have a company car, then why not make the switch to an electric or a hybrid model? By ditching a vehicle that runs on diesel or petrol you are helping to travel in a more environmentally friendly way. What’s more, with the recent proposals to outlaw new sales of diesel and petrol cars by 2032, you might be taking a clever first step by modernizing your company transport before there is no alternative.
3. Go paperless
Do you need to print everything? In the digital age, more and more companies are going paperless. By cutting out on paper, you are creating a greener office environment. You will not have to worry about recycling as there will be no paper in your office. By committing to having an office where everything is online, you can reduce one of your most significant waste products, save space, and also be a digital trailblazer.
4. Offer work from home schemes
Can you imagine how much the morning commute produces carbon emissions? Think about how much less traffic there would be on the roads if we could work from the comfort of our home? Many new businesses are offering work from home schemes or employees the option to work from home one or two days a week. Contrary to belief, this does not affect overall productivity, with some employees finding productivity improves. It’s a win, win for you and the environment.
5. Have a carbon footprint audit
Every year complete an audit on your business’s carbon footprint. Assess what you are doing that has helped cut it down and what you are also not doing. By addressing the things in your company that create the most carbon footprint you will able to make positive changes to your business to rectify this. You will also be able to show that you as a company are actively trying to change and make greener choices.
6. Remove single-use plastics from the office
Plastic and paper will be the two most significant waste products from your office. One way to cut down on plastic is to remove single-use plastics from the office workplace. Instead of having plastic cups at the water cooler, why not use glasses? Instead of plastic cutlery, invest in a steel set that can be washed. There are so many throwaway plastics that take up space in our workplace. Identify which ones you use and which ones you could do away with. You’ll often find more single-use plastics are unnecessary that are useful.
7. Plant trees or create a staff garden
If you have an outdoor space and are looking to offset your carbon footprint, then why not create a planted area? You can plant trees, create a company garden, or even start a vegetable garden scheme for any employees who would like to give it a go. Not only will this help balance your CO2 emissions, but it will also be an excellent way for your staff to enjoy the outdoors, distress during the day, and take good care of their mental health.