Times are changing. We’re seeing the effects of global warming. Many children at school are being taught about recycling and the dangers of pollution. In London, the congestion charge also reminds drivers that damage to the planet brings cost implications.
The government-backed agency Envirowise, which provides practical advice to businesses, estimates that waste typically costs companies 4.5 per cent of their turnover.
But, still some of us feel that thinking green is somehow only for sandal-wearing hippies. The mortgage industry is certainly not heavily populated with such types but this is no reason why we can’t make a difference. Once awareness is raised, many will be keen to become involved.
Green buy-in
You don’t need to bring in outside consultants or spend any money – in fact you are likely to make considerable savings. What does matter though is obtaining buy-in to a greener way of working so everyone from the managing director to those who work in the postroom are committed to change.
At Platform, our environmental awareness grew when we became part of Britannia Building Society. As a mutual, being ethical and socially responsible is taken seriously. Since we are based at different sites, it was important that everyone could be included. Britannia took advice from a charity, Global Action Plan, and recommendations have been implemented throughout the business as a whole.
Taking a dictatorial approach doesn’t work if you want all employees to support change. So, we established a ‘Green Team’ made up of employees in a variety of roles. These six members of staff at Platform act as environmental champions and receive regular updates and training.
They focus on reducing waste and energy consumption and communicate the best ways to do this. This could be through briefings or posters in staff rooms. We have a ‘Green Day’ and give away items like recycled pencils to reinforce the message.
Doing your bit
All this can get people talking and we all feel better for doing our bit once we know the facts. For example, figures from the Environment Agency show that:
- A PC left running 24 hours per day would use £59 worth of electricity over a year
- Leaving on a computer monitor overnight wastes enough energy to laser-print 800 A4 pages
- Up to 70 per cent of computers and related equipment are left on all the time. Equipment energy costs can be reduced by 20 per cent just by turning off when not in use
- A boiling water unit for hot drinks uses a third of the energy of kettles and urns
- Lighting an empty office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1,000 cups of coffee
- A tin can will survive 50 years under water, a plastic bottle 450 years, aluminium cans 80-100 years and glass bottles up to 1,000 years
- It takes one to five years for a cigarette butt to break down.
Common sense changes
Some common sense changes in the office include setting photocopiers and printers onto double-sided. And, it’s a good idea to have ‘green bins’ which are purely for recycled paper. Everyone soon gets used to using these and you can add in paper shredded for confidential. Labelling the printer trays ‘headed’ and ‘plain’ paper will reduce the risk of errors. Toner cartridges should also be recycled but make sure people know where to put them.
It is said even the Queen goes round switching lights off to save energy. But at work they can be left on because no-one thinks about it. Our staff also make sure they are turned off in the board and meeting rooms too. Likewise, it can seem like less hassle just to leave a PC monitor on. But, even on stand-by this is using energy, as does leaving in a mobile phone charger.
Communication should not stop with permanent employees – let your cleaning company know about your green policies and find out if they also have them.
Central purchasing can be made greener too. For example, you can buy recycled paper and biodegradable plastic cups and spoons – or use ones that don’t need to be discarded. And, if you need to update equipment, such as PCs, you may well find that IT can be refurbished and donated either to charity or schools.
Once you begin, a green policy at work starts to gain momentum. You may want to look at overall energy-saving procedures and ask if your building is overheated. You may want to encourage employees to share lifts into work or to cycle in. Re-using packaging and paper becomes a habit and business is increasingly making greater use of e-mail too. There’s plenty of information available to provide businesses of all sizes with food for thought – and even taking just some changes on board will have a big impact.
Paul Hunt is head of marketing at Platform
