How to Go Green in the Workplace

Employers and employees alike are seeing the value of going green in the workplace. Green initiatives are proving to be not only beneficial to the environment, but also to the bottom line. It’s the type of win-win situation that is rare in the business world, and as such companies are increasingly searching for ways to become more eco-friendly. Here are a number of green initiatives and methods your company can implement to encourage everyone in your employ to go green in the workplace.

Reduce Paper Waste

There are quite a few telling statistics surrounding paper waste and the effects it can have on the environment. Thus, if you’re looking to go green in the workplace, reducing paper waste in your office is a good place to start. There are a number of very simple practices and behaviour changes that can be implemented that can have a demonstrable impact: only printing when it’s absolutely necessary, printing double-sided, using scrap paper when possible, choosing digital files over paper copies, etc. It’s estimated that the average worker uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year – imagine the collective impact of changing these habits.

Digitize

This green initiative goes hand-in-hand with reducing paper waste. If your company starts using electronic files in place of paper, you can eliminate the majority of your paper waste, especially if the methods suggested above are being used. Digitization can be accomplished via a document scanning service, and the newly digitized files can be stored, accessed, retrieved and otherwise managed using a document management system. If your company is able to move the majority of its processes into a digital medium, this can help significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

Retrofit or Design Green

Often, the biggest environmental impact of a company comes from the building or premises itself. Older offices typically weren’t built with green design principles in mind, which means there are likely steps that can be taken to increase the eco-friendliness of your space. Retrofitting your office for energy efficiency is one green initiative that is becoming more popular, and there are a number of government grants and financial incentives offered for taking this step. If you are moving into a newer space, consider building with green design principles, or moving into an office space that was built using green features.

These are just a few suggestions to help you go green in the workplace. While by no means a comprehensive list, these green initiatives can help you not only reduce your environmental impact, but they can also positively affect your bottom line.