Did you know that Social Progress has signed the SME Climate Pledge, committing to reduce our carbon emissions before 2030 and to achieve net zero by no later than 2050? We ensure that we work in a sustainable way within our Honley office, helping avoid the worst effects of climate change.
We thought we’d share our top tips with you to help you work in a more sustainable way in your workplace:
- Avoid single use water bottles and coffee cups
In the UK, we use 7.7 billion plastic water bottles and 2.5 billion takeaway coffee cups each year. Single use plastic bottles make up a third of plastic litter found in the sea, and it’s one of the easiest ways to help reduce your carbon footprint. Why not replace your plastic water bottle or daily commuting coffee cup with a reusable one? You can even get glass or stainless-steel bottles and cups so there’s no need for plastic at all!
- Recycle!
Encourage your employees to recycle their paper, tin, glass and plastics. Ensure you have the correct waste bins available and check your local recycling centre if you’re unsure of what you can recycle in your area.
- Be paper light
In 2021, most of us work almost completely digitally and have access to a portable electronic device. Before your next meeting, consider if a proposal needs to be printed or if you can take notes on a laptop. Adopting a paper light ethos will greatly reduce your carbon emissions.
- Turn off computers and lights at the end of the day
Why not save energy when you’re not in the office? Ensure you turn off your computer and screen at the end of the day, and switch off any lights that aren’t being used. A simple way to save energy, and cut down that electricity bill!
- Provide Fairtrade food and drinks
Here at Social Progress we support Fairtrade by providing Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar for all our visitors and clients when they come for an appointment or attend one of our business networking events. We’re also members of the Holme Valley Fairtrade Support Group, supporting Fairtrade by shopping locally. By supporting Fairtrade we support environmentally friendly production and fair wages and working conditions for those in the developing world.
- Use energy efficient lighting
By using LED light bulbs, you’ll instantly save more energy as they require less energy to produce light. You can also make use of natural light which costs nothing and allows the sun to shine through your windows.
- Check your commute
Could you travel to the office by public transport or car share with a co-worker or someone who lives close by? There are also lots of initiatives to help spread the cost of a travel season ticket and even a cycle to work scheme to encourage employees to get to work in a more sustainable way. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we can work from home if we need to, so could you incorporate this in to your normal working week? Perhaps have 1 day a week working from home to save on your commuting emissions.
Is there anything you’re doing within your workplace to help reduce your carbon emissions?
Take a look at the SME Climate Hub – why not pledge your business?