Sustainability in the Workplace

Sustainability in the Workplace

Sustainability in the Workplace

Industries are going green and are coming up with various sustainable business practices. However, sustainability goes beyond switching off PCs and lights that are not in use. It has internal and external driver and extends over environmental and social dimensions.

Key things to consider when considering Sustainability in the workplace

Internal Environmental Sustainability

A company should assess and address its own impact. To do this, an inventory of a company's environmental impact should be taken. Something companies can do is to compile their utility bill from the previous calendar year and establish a baseline. From here they can start lowering their impact. Another step companies can take is to stem wasteful habits. These may include encouraging employees to switch of lights, PCs and other office equipment when not in use. They can also switch to fluorescent lights, installing skylights and setting printers on double-sided mode. The most crucial thing though is to get all employees involved since effort and innovation come from your human resources.

Internal Social Sustainability

A nice workplace with daylighting, good air quality and access to beautiful views does wonders for employees' creativity and productivity. Architects who specialize in sustainability might argue that energy costs take up a considerably smaller percentage of annual expenses compared to costs associated with human capital, but there is a greater focus on energy efficiency. Investing in human capital yields many rewards, including decrease in absenteeism rates, increase in retention rates, and increase in productivity. Also, it becomes easier to attract and retain top talents.

External Environmental Sustainability

Protecting natural resources while cutting costs are the characteristics of a sustainable company. Innovative use of resources and improvements in can save money and decrease a company's footprint on an already stretched environment. To be truly sustainable, we need to ensure that resources are utilized at a rate no faster than that at which they are replenished.

The link between business and the environment is usually a one-way relationship built around the extraction of value. Markets guarantee the economical allocation of resources while government regulation prevents the inequitable exploitation of the environment. However, companies who are only obliged to comply rarely exhibit innovations in resource efficiency and are often caught trying to catch up with the latest pending legislations. In contrast, progressive companies try to continuously improve best practices and are in compliance with many laws before they even come up for debate.

External Social Sustainability

Businesses count on communities to provide workers. Investing in the community is therefore an investment in the foundation of the company. A community that is healthy and has access to public transport produces a workforce that is less prone to sickness and is less affected by the instability of oil prices. Apart from promoting education, clean water and public transport, companies should also be a good neighbor. A sustainable company only advocates legislation that is genuinely good for the community and not simply when it is economically advantageous. As a good neighbor, a sustainable company also manages noise and emission levels so as not to impact the health and wellbeing of the community.

Our world would do fine without us, but we are very much dependent on it. It is crucial that we use tools that we are equipped with (business, innovation) to restore balance so that we may continue thrive and prosper. The best sustainable companies see the challenges ahead as opportunities that are economic and at the same time environmental and social. Succeeding at becoming truly sustainable will ensure that the future generation can enjoy a high standard of living, practice dignified professions and have access to clean and abundant natural resource.

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