Combating climate change is the civic duty of each and every individual on the planet. How we heat our homes, get from A to B and feed our families all has an impact on the climate and the health of the natural world. But we don’t just have responsibilities as private citizens.
The contribution of the world of industry, commerce, retail and services to climate change far outweighs that of private citizens in their homes. This means that we all have duties as employees to do what we can to limit the damage done by our places of work.
To mark the Climate Change Conference, we’ve selected 5 courses that can teach you invaluable ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your workplace.
Essential to making progress in the fight against climate change is improving people’s understanding of the pressing nature of what’s going on. The news cycle is full of examples of the increasingly frightening realities of climate change but not everyone reads the news or can connect the dots. This course gives a level-headed and insightful explanation of the science that everyone should know. Before trying to implement positive changes in your workplace, you should organise an office information day to make sure that everyone is on the same page.
Sustainability is a principle that needs to be applied to all workplace decisions. From what stockists you order supplies from to how you coordinate transport for business trips, you can always make a better and more environmentally sustainable choice. The green option is no longer the expensive option as the green market is rapidly expanding and driving down the price of the “eco option” across a variety of areas, from printer cartridges to canteen supplies. Many unsustainable choices continue to be made in the workplace simply because they are the way things have always been. Employers will listen if you arrive with a greener alternative that can be readily implemented to improve an existing situation.
Implementing wholesale changes to reduce the carbon footprint of your workplace isn’t something that happens overnight nor is it something that you can do lightly. In order to be sustainable for both the planet and the company, the existing financial situation of the company will have to be assessed, as well the affect that greener policies will have. Many initiatives such as introducing solar power or cycle to work schemes come with tax breaks. Accountants need to be aware of all these potential financial incentives to make sure that the company isn’t missing out on any benefits of going green.
The best way to manage waste is to prevent it. Waste management starts not with disposal, but with choosing raw materials and items that come with the least amount of packaging and collateral waste. This means that waste management needs to be considered at all points of the supply chain and at all levels of the business. This course looks at a variety of ways in which workplace waste can be managed, with an emphasis on the environment.
Every workplace, regardless of industry, needs to reassess its energy usage. The exodus from offices caused by the pandemic has greatly reduced the energy consumption of offices around the world. With the return to work, this reduced energy use is a positive that should be maintained. Solar panels are an unobtrusive, and increasingly inexpensive, way to reduce the fossil fuel dependency, and ultimately lower the energy bill, of companies across all sectors.
