It can sometimes be overwhelming to think of the current state of the planet and feeling like there is little you can do. However, all small steps, when implemented on mass scale, can have a powerful impact.
Living more sustainably and being conscious of the environment has become much more prominent in the last few years; people are wanting to make a positive difference. Although this movement has gained real traction within people’s personal lives, eco-friendly initiatives can often be overlooked in the workplace.
We wanted to share some easy steps that can be introduced to help make your company more conscious and eco-friendly.
1. Reduce
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It’s a phrase we’ve all heard hundreds of times, but it really is vital. The top priority is to prevent waste in the first place. Are there any instances where your company could use less material in the design and manufacture stage of a product or service? Or, could your packaging be reduced/improved, perhaps by looking into some of the more inventive eco-friendly packaging alternatives such as seaweed, mushroom or potato starch options?
2. Reuse
When unavoidable waste is created, consider how it could be reused. For instance, could you offer a return scheme to cut out the need for 100% virgin materials? By offering this to customers, perhaps with a small incentive, you demonstrate your ‘Green Values’ and build brand loyalty.
Taking the time to repair or refurbish items, instead of contributing to society’s throw away culture, is also another great step to reduce the amount being sent to landfill.
3. Recycle
Although commercial recycling is not required by law, we believe it is a fundamental part of a company’s corporate social responsibility and can be an easy and inexpensive initiative to implement. Why not set up a Dry Mixed Recycling collection, which you could share with office neighbours to reduce costs? (This is what we do at Glow).
Additionally, organisations like Terracycle, will enable you and your team to recycle many more ‘hard to recycle’ items through its free innovative programmes. Click here to find out more about Glow’s involvement with Terracycle.
4. Get rid of personal bins
A lot of people tend to keep a small bin under their desk for convenience; this can cause issues when you are trying to separate and manage waste. Removing personal bins and having a general and recycling bin for the whole office will make waste management more straightforward and will reduce the need for excessive plastic bin liners.
5. Bring packed lunches
To reduce the amount of single use plastic being used, bring a packed lunch in from home and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Cutting out all of those plastic-wrapped meal deals will significantly reduce the amount of packaging being disposed of.
6. Team building with a purpose
Why not arrange a team building activity with a difference? (COVID-19 rules may apply). This could involve doing a woodland litter pick, hiring paddleboards and collecting litter along the way (if you’re feeling brave) or volunteering to help with a community project. Not only are there great health and wellbeing benefits of stepping away from screens or a rigid daily routine, arranging something that has a positive social and environmental impact is great for morale and for your brand.
