5 Easy Ways to Make your Workplace More Sustainable

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you'll probably have noticed the growing trend towards recycling and environmental awareness. 

Luckily, there are lots of different ways to help your employees get involved and become more Earth Friendly. Read on to take a look at a few easy ways to implement ideas below:

1. Recycle waste

Unfortunately, creating waste is an unavoidable element of working life. No matter how conscientious we try to be, we are always going to produce some rubbish. But rather than despair over this, see it as a golden opportunity to improve your recycling processes.

Having a variety of recycling bins in each communal office space is an easy way to encourage people to get on board with a greener lifestyle. The easier you make it for your team to take part, the more likely you are to see good results and a significantly emptier general waste bin!

2. Use reusable cups

They’re super trendy right now and can have a huge impact on the amount of waste that you produce as a company. So ditch those paper mugs for your coffee machine, throw away the single use plastic cups that surround your water dispenser, and start to think green.

The upfront investment of some decent quality mugs and cups may seem off-putting. But when you look at the ongoing costs of buying in single use items, the price may not seem so high. Plus, you can impress any office guests with your eco-credentials and boost your company’s image in the process.

3. Encourage car share schemes

Cars release a huge volume of toxic fumes into the air each day. If you have a number of people who live in close proximity then car sharing could be an ideal way to reduce your carbon footprint.

People can be incentivised to take part with the reward of using car sharers parking spaces close to your building entrances. Big money savings can also be achieved by car sharing, that can halve fuel and travel costs.

4. Switch off!

And not just mentally at the end of a long day at work! Simple steps like making sure lights are switched off when you leave a room and turning heating down in rooms that are not being used can make a big difference.

The good news is that not only will this save the planet, it will also save your company money too. A win win!

5. Environmental Training for Staff

Once you’ve covered a few basic sustainability concepts within the office, the best way to take your efforts up a gear is to recommend some training for your workforce.

There are a number of courses that you can choose from that provide an entry level understanding of sustainability issues. Luckily, these courses are short so your staff don't need to spend much time away from the day-job! Better still, use an eco-friendly online learning method and reduce your carbon footprint by studying at your desk at work or home.

The IEMA Sustainability Skills for the Workplace suite of online courses ticks both those boxes. They give a broad overview of some of the current key topics and is approved by the largest professional body for environmental practitioners, IEMA. Take a look at our our IEMA courses today.