Switch on to the benefits

Jan 15 2008 by Guy Bashford for the Evening Gazette

Going green is not just a way for Teesside companies to fulfil their environmental obligations - it can also save them a lot of money, says GUY BASHFORD, Envirowise regional manager for the North East.

THE thought of becoming “sustainable” often sends a shiver through businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprise.

But in reality, any organisation can take straightforward steps to start on the road towards sustainability - and the further they go down the road, the greater potential for cost savings.

Clearly, there are compelling reasons why companies should take action to improve their environmental credentials, but if you are an average office, where do you start?

Ensuring your organisation wants to improve its environmental performance is a natural place.

Senior management buy-in is essential, but elsewhere you may find that some of your staff fall into the eco-sceptic camp, others into the eco-innovator group - and many somewhere in between.

You could therefore consider appointing an environmental champion who works to get staff on board, shares news of initiatives and the positive action being taken, and encourages ideas and feedback from the whole workforce, new joiners included.

Next, it is a matter of focusing on the areas of the business where even the simplest of environmental initiatives can be made in order to cut back on unnecessary overheads.

Print documents only when necessary and, if you can, print on both sides of the paper.

Re-use paper that has only been printed on one side. It can be used for note pads or can be donated to local schools and nurseries.

Make paper-recycling bins widely available and label them clearly.

Choose minimally packaged products or ask your suppliers to supply products in less packaging.

Fill a litre plastic milk carton with water, put it in the toilet cistern, and notice the difference in your water bills.

Fit push taps. They can be fitted easily to existing standard tap bodies, and can reduce water use considerably when compared with conventional taps.

Install motion sensor lighting to conserve electricity costs.

Going for “quick wins” of this sort can result in noticeable cost savings.

But local businesses that will see the healthiest financial and operational advantages will be those that develop a more integrated approach to environmental activity.

One technique is to develop an Environmental Management System (EMS) which is a structured framework for managing and monitoring environmental performance and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation.

It is a flexible internal management tool and companies can choose to either develop their own system, or follow the requirements of a national or international standard, such as ISO14001 or EMAS.

Finally, Teesside’s businesses should not forget the range of free services that exists to help them embed sustainability into their operations.

Envirowise is a programme that provides free and practical, cost-saving advice to businesses of all sizes and sectors, and its Advice Line (0800 585 794) and website (www.envirowise.gov.uk) are ideal places to start.

Without question, pressure is increasing on businesses - whether it is as a result of new legislation, requirements from suppliers or the preferences of customers.

As companies undertake business planning for 2008 they should bear in mind that implementing even the simplest of measures could mean a big pay back in the long run.