According to the British Business Bank, it is estimated that smaller businesses account for almost a third (30%) of all current UK greenhouse gas emissions. Infact, 76% of businesses are yet to implement sustainable strategies to reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, the British Chambers revealed that only 11% of people asked even to measure their carbon footprint, despite acknowledging their customers are concerned about the environment.
Easy ways to reduce your carbon footprint:
With this information in mind, you are certainly not alone in searching for ways to become a climate positive workforce. Here’s a simple list to get you started:
- Print double sided and use sustainable ink
- Recycle the paper you have used
- Turn off your computer and other office appliances at the end of each day
- Provide glasses and mugs rather than disposable cups
- Encourage staff to cycle to work by installing bike rack etc
Industry leaders have already made the change with Elaine Radford from DLA Piper stating
“By implementing relatively easy measures, such as movement sensors to turn off lights, installing more efficient heating and reducing business travel we were able to make a real impact in reducing our carbon emissions. We would encourage other law firms to do likewise.”
Where do I start?
The Legal Sustainability Alliance is a strategic imperative for all law firms to be working on their transition to a low carbon business model. There are lots of free resources to download to help you get started such as ‘ideas on how to get started’, ‘sustainable office’ and ‘sustainable home working’.
Fully equipped with simple tips and advice that can immediately reduce your companies’ emissions. This may be the perfect resource to get started. You can find the resources here.
The alliance also offers member services such as a carbon calculator to keep track of your emissions.
Continue the fight: COP26
For 2 weeks, global parties will come together to accelerate action towards climate change. With the 26th UN Climate Change conference coming up really soon, the involvement of SME’s is encouraged more than ever. Following the pandemic, the SME’s have been the backbone of the private sector and are desperately urged to embrace a green economy.
To get involved the official GOV website states that:
“Small businesses can use the hub to find practical tools, resources and advice to understand their emissions and develop a plan to tackle them, as well as providing ideas for steps they can take.Steps could include installing energy saving light bulbs, switching to electric vehicles and other cleaner forms of transport to reduce their carbon footprint, looking at environment-friendly packaging options, or introducing cycle to work schemes for employees”
OTB and Ecologi
Another easy way to make a start is to partner up with Ecologi. Offering businesses a solution to providing a climate positive workforce. From offsetting your staff members entire carbon footprint to funding carbon reduction projects around the world.
Here at OTB we have already made huge impacts through partnering with Ecologi. In total preventing 50 tonnes of C02 from entering our atmosphere (equivalent to 4,912 gallons of diesel) and in the process planting 500 trees on our behalf- and counting!