Why is sustainability important for your workplace?
Adopting sustainable practices can be good for both the planet and business. Companies are increasingly accepting the concept of the triple bottom line. The idea is that, instead of concentrating exclusively on profit, it’s in the best interests of companies to focus on the 3 bottom lines: profit, people and the planet.
Focusing on more than just profit can actually help to improve business performance. Today’s consumers are becoming more socially conscious than ever before, and a company’s social responsibility record directly influences their purchasing decisions. Research has found that companies boasting high sustainability perform better on the stock market than low sustainability companies.
The benefits of workplace sustainability
Investing in a greener workplace can pay off for your organisation in the long term. Here are some of the main advantages of sustainable practices in the workplace.
Reduced expenses
The cost-saving potential of sustainability in the workplace is one of the most appealing and direct benefits for organisations. Implementing environmentally friendly practices can help to reduce your operational costs in a number of ways. Here are some of them.
- Energy expenses: Installing energy-efficient LED lights throughout your organisation can significantly reduce your energy bill. To further reduce your energy consumption, you could switch to energy-saving equipment, such as computers, machinery and HVAC systems. Energy savings can be particularly large for energy-intensive companies, such as manufacturers or retailers.
- Water consumption: Fitting your organisation out with low-flow tap fixtures and water-efficient landscaping can help to conserve water and save you money on your water bill.
- Waste reduction: In addition to helping to reduce landfill waste, implementing a recycling program in your workplace is also a very visible statement of your organisation’s commitment to sustainability. You can further reduce waste and your expenses by switching to reusable supplies, such as water bottles, mugs and shopping bags.
Enhanced public image
Committing to workplace sustainability has the potential to boost your public image and brand. It shows that you are a forward-thinking, socially responsible organisation that cares about the environment. This can lead to increased sales and talent attraction.
Many consumers today are highly environmentally conscious and interested in supporting businesses with solid sustainability credentials. Equally, highly qualified employees increasingly want to work for socially responsible organisations that are making a meaningful impact. So, being a green workplace can also enhance your employer brand, helping you to attract top talent.
A strong reputation for sustainability could also help you to attract investment. There is strong investor demand for sustainability-labelled investments, and globally, the market for environmental, social and governance (ESG) assets is experiencing strong growth.
However, when you promote your green credentials, it’s important to avoid greenwashing. This is the practice of misleading consumers and investors about how environmentally sound a company’s products or services are. Greenwashing can undo your hard PR work and cause considerable reputational damage, so honesty is always the best policy.
Long-term resilience
As the world moves towards a green future, your commitment to sustainability in the workplace can help to future-proof your organisation. As a green organisation, you can stay ahead of the competition and be well positioned to adapt to future regulatory changes.
Reducing your dependence on fossil fuels and making your supply chain more sustainable can help your organisation to weather disruptions caused by, for example, geopolitical crises and natural disasters. Organisations that embrace sustainability will be well positioned to thrive in the face of resource scarcity and climate-related issues.
Higher employee morale and engagement
Investing in sustainability can also have a positive impact on workplace morale and employee satisfaction. Employees who work for organisations that are committed to social or environmental causes are more likely to feel that their work is meaningful and has a positive impact on society. This can boost their job satisfaction and loyalty to your organisation.
Eco-friendly workplaces also tend to be healthier working environments. They usually have better indoor air quality, more natural light, and they often promote physical activity, for example, by providing bike storage facilities. All of these factors combined lead to healthier, more engaged employees and, therefore, higher productivity and lower employee turnover.
Tips for implementing sustainability in the workplace
If you’re planning to make your workplace more sustainable, it’s important to carefully consider your approach. Here are some tips that can help to make the implementation of sustainable practices in your workplace more effective.
Conduct a sustainability assessment
Conducting a sustainability assessment of your organisation can help to ensure that your sustainability initiatives are as targeted and effective as possible. The aim of the assessment is to identify the least eco-friendly areas, so you can focus your efforts where they matter most. Consider evaluating the following in your assessment:
- the technologies that you use to deliver your products or services
- your average daily water and electricity consumption
- your total greenhouse gas emissions
- how much of your waste is recycled and how much goes to landfill.
Set achievable targets and track your progress
Many organisations have good intentions when it comes to sustainability, but they lack clear targets, metrics and reporting mechanisms, making it difficult to assess the impact of their initiatives. Setting achievable targets and tracking a set of key performance indicators (KPI) allows you to see how effective your sustainability measures are over time.
Aim to make your targets clear, specific and time-bound. For example, ‘Replace 70% of the computers in the office with energy-efficient computers over the next 12 months’. KPIs are directly connected to your targets. Similarly, aim to make them specific, relevant, realistic and time-bound. Some KPIs you could track include:
- emissions (to air, water or land), such as greenhouse gas emissions or pollutant discharges
- energy consumption
- resource use, such as water consumption or paper usage
- environmental protection measures, such as environmental audit scores or the effectiveness of climate risk reduction programs.
Incorporate green building practices
If you are thinking about building or renovating your workplace, you can ensure that it is sustainable from the ground up, literally, by incorporating green building practices into the construction.
Green building is a practice that seeks to reduce the overall environmental impact or ecological footprint throughout the building’s lifecycle, from the design phase through to operation, maintenance and, ultimately, demolition.
Another important aim of green building is to reduce any negative impacts on the people who use the building. Building a green workplace is a strong symbol of your commitment to creating a healthy, eco-friendly working environment, and it ensures that sustainability is built into your organisation.
Key takeaways
Workplace sustainability is not only a plus for the environment – it can benefit your organisation in a number of ways, including:
- reduced operational costs thanks to energy-saving and resource-efficient measures
- an enhanced public image and employer brand: today’s socially conscious consumers and employees are drawn to companies with a strong track record on sustainability
- increased long-term resilience: investing in sustainability today helps to set you up for tomorrow by making your organisation more resilient in the face of external shocks and potential future regulatory changes
- higher workplace morale and employee engagement: sustainable workplaces tend to be healthier workplaces, leading to happier, healthier and more productive employees.
If you are planning to implement sustainability initiatives in your workplace, some important points to consider include:
- conducting a sustainability assessment can help you to identify the areas where eco-friendly measures are most needed
- setting achievable targets and tracking your progress can help you to assess whether your initiatives are working or whether you need to make some changes
- incorporating green building practices into the construction or renovation of your workplace allows you to make it sustainable from the get-go.
