Five sustainable trends to create greener workplaces

Even before the pandemic, sustainability was firmly placed on the global agenda, but almost by chance Covid-19 has had some truly positive side-effects on the way we work; with our offices, businesses and commutes all becoming greener. Here, online printing specialists Solopress outline five sustainable initiatives that workplaces can embrace to catalyse a change for the better.

Sustainability as a Growth Driver

The importance of sustainability has grown for companies across sizes, sectors, and regions. Nearly half of the UK workforce admits to being more environmentally responsible at home than they are in the office, mainly due to a lack of control over green activities at work and a lack of information around their employer’s energy and sustainability policies. However, 69% of businesses say they would support their workforce to reduce the impact on the environment.

Companies are also feeling pressure from their customers and their competitors to become more sustainable, yet at the same time, they acknowledge that sustainability is a growth driver. In fact, sustainability is cited as the fourth biggest growth driver among companies looking to expand in the next two years, behind the strength of the customer base, the quality and availability of the workforce and the quality and availability of suppliers and raw materials.

Recent global lockdowns due to the pandemic have encouraged debate around the sustainability of businesses, office space and commercial property; sparking a change in the way we think about work and the way we interact with our environment every day.

Therefore, it’s little wonder that companies are increasing their level of investment to become more environmentally sustainable. 45 percent of companies surveyed say they plan to increase investment in the next 1-2 years – among them 65 percent plan to increase their level of investment by more than 5 percent.

According to new data by Tech Nation, European ‘net zero’ start-ups (categorised as companies which have no negative impact on the environment) raised a total of £2.1 billion from venture capital funds last year – a 129% increase on the year before – and a testament to sustainability’s growing prevalence pre-Covid-19. Although agile start-ups are leading the way when it comes to sustainability, larger businesses are also taking steps to become more sustainable; from incorporating green roofs, to reducing their plastic footprint, and using environmentally friendly promotional materials, start-ups and corporate giants alike are noticing changing consumer attitudes and using the pandemic as a catalyst for change, reducing their carbon footprint and adjusting their practices.

Forward-thinking companies around the country are beginning to embrace this trend as part of accelerated action towards tackling climate change.

Please click here for the full story.