Implementing Sustainability Initiatives

The pressure is on, from employees, customers, regulators, investors, and progressive business leaders – to prioritise ethical, sustainable, and socially conscious practices across your organisation.

The 2022 Best Places to Work are purpose lead organisations focusing on three key areas to make them more sustainable organisations, and help drive profitability.

  • Climate Action

  • Circular Economy

  • Ethical & Responsible Business

The Best are prioritising sustainability and managing their impact upon the environment via:

  • Implementing an Environmental Sustainability Policy,

  • Setting up an internal “Team Green” to coordinate, facilitate and ensure successful execution, and

  • Having inhouse sustainability leads to provide regular updates to the leadership team.


Business Benefits of Implementing Sustainability Policies

01. Reduced Costs

Sustainable business practices can help organisations save money in several ways. For example, implementing energy-efficiency measures can reduce a company's energy bills.

02. Increased Profits

Sustainable organisations enjoy increased profits as they operate more efficiently and have lower overhead costs. According to a review of 56 academic papers by Deutsche Bank, firms with high ESG ratings have lower debt, and equity costs and nearly 90% of the studies examined found that firms with high ESG ratings outperform the market in the medium (three to five years) and long (five to ten years) terms. 

3. Improved Public Image

Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainable products and services. Implementing sustainable practices can help an organisation improve its public image, leading to increased sales, profits, and market share.

In addition, sustainability can help a company improve its reputation with stakeholders in the community and government officials because it shows them that the business is concerned about environmental protection, social justice and good governance.

Bloomberg Intelligence predicts ESG assets to hit $53 trillion by 2025, a third of the global assets under management.

4. Greater Employee Satisfaction

Employees at sustainable organisations tend to be happier and more engaged in their work, which leads to a more productive workforce and lowers employee turnover rates. Sustainable workplaces tend to be a healthier work environment with good ventilation, natural lighting, and ergonomic furniture. These things can help reduce stress and improve employee morale. Additionally, sustainable business practices are associated with the ethical treatment of workers. For example, the company might support worker unions or offer fair wages and benefits to all employees regardless of their position in the company. 

5. Enhanced Social Responsibility

Organisations that implement sustainable practices are more likely to be socially responsible, which is vital for many reasons. For example, it makes the organisation more attractive to consumers who want to support organisations that are helping improve social conditions in their communities. It's also a good way for organisations to build goodwill and strengthen their ties with the communities in which they operate. 

Targets

Through establishing measurable objectives and targets, your organisation will be able to monitor and review the progress of initiatives and policies. Here are some examples of the targets employed by the 2022 Best Places to Work:

  • Recycling targets 24%

  • Reduce travel emissions per head by 22%

  • Reduce waste by 25%

  • Reduce energy use by 20%

  • Pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030, 2040 (Paris Agreement)

  • Obtain National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) Certification

  • Obtain Blue Star Sustainability Awards

  • Green Impact Competition

Where to Get Started

More than likely, your organisation is already on a sustainability journey, and participating in a number of environmental initiatives. Below are a few ideas form the 2022 Best Places to Work to get you started on the journey of creating your organisations Environmental Sustainability Policy.

Responsible Sourcing

We purchase products that we either consume in the workplace or use in production of the goods and services we sell. A good place to start is to evaluate the products you are purchasing and evaluate whether there are more sustainable options in purchasing, processing, and disposing of those products.

When evaluating suppliers ask to see their sustainability policy, and assess them on their initiatives and if they are in line with your organisaiton’s values.

Evaluate the ingredients used in the production of the goods. Choose products that are plastic free.

Products that Can No Longer Be Sold/ Used

At times we will end up with a surplus of goods. Whether they are close to being out of date, last season stock, or no longer compatible with the current needs, evaluate whether you can:

  • Donate the goods to your team members

  • Donate the goods to a charity

  • Food products can be donated to organisaitons such as FoodBank, and Second Bite.

  • Electronic equipment that is no longer in use can be; Recycle – Officeworks, Local Council, Substation 33 and
    Donate to charity – Computer Bank

  • Implement program to restore or recycle products you sell, offering your customers an opportunity to extend the life of the product.

 Changing Patterns in the Workplace

Encourage and assist your team to reduce their everyday environmental impact, wherever you can. Reduce unnecessary paper usage through:

  • Applications such as Docusign, Labourchart, Monday

  • Encourage the use of digital documents rather than printing

  • Encourage employees to use double-sided printing

    Provide recycling bins that separate:

Provide recycling bins that seperate:

  • Plastic, glass, paper, general waste

  • Coffee pod bins

  • Ink recycling

  • Battery collection

  • Technology collection

The Office

Lower your energy use by:

  • Replacing lighting with LED options

  • Automated air conditioning

  • Electronic equipment to be switched off at end of work day

  • Use equipment in low power mode whenever possible

In the kitchen:

  • Provide plastic free cutlery and containers

  • Supply Keep Cups for takeaway coffee

  • Containers provided for people to use if they are getting take-away for lunch

  • Make cotton shopping bags available for use

  • Environmentally responsible merchandise (reusable drink bottles, clothing from recyclable fibers)

The Office Environment

Sustainable workplaces be a healthier work environment with good ventilation, natural lighting, and ergonomic furniture. These things can help reduce stress and improve employee morale.

Common features at the 2022 Best Places to Work include:

  • End of trip facilities to support employees who cycle, jog or walk to work rather than driving or taking public transport. exercise during their lunch break

  • Living plants – not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they are also known to reduce stress, increase creativity and clean the air

  • Glass walls and windows to allow natural light

The Commute

Initiatives that help your team reduce their environmental impact while commuting to and from work:

  • Office location close to public transport

  • Reduce postage between offices/ locations -send with team

  • Ride share options – carpooling and GoGet

  • Calculate fuel efficient routes for field team

  • Reducing business travel with video conferencing.

  • Providing employees with the flexibility to work from home

Initiatives

Team engagement and team-building events are a great way for organisations to connect their teams through shared experiences. Whether your team is working remotely, dispersed geographically or all in one location, sustainability team initiatives foster team spirit while promoting sustainability.

These are practical, fun activities for the team, customers or stakeholders which can be run any time of the year.

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