It was wonderful to meet more Thames Valley Berkshire Chamber of Commerce members at the ‘Has Berkshire got Talent’ event, where many people were asking where they should start with producing an Environmental and Sustainability policy. This feature looks at why you should be developing an Environmental and Sustainability Policy and how to get started.
With the green agenda very much at the heart of creating a sustainable future for our businesses and our planet, many companies are producing Environmental and Sustainability Policies to highlight how their working practices support their ecocommitment.
Putting together an Environmental and Sustainability Policy is a good idea to help you focus on what you can do to make your company more ‘green’ and avoid some of the more wasteful practices you may have developed.
Our first stage was to set up a Climate and Sustainability Action Working Group who created an action plan for developing the policy. A good action plan should look at the processes within your organisation and consider if they can be improved to incorporate sustainability practices, with clear and achievable targets set for any changes you wish to implement.
This could include, for example:
• Installing motion sensors on corridor lighting.
• Purchasing products with a lower environmental impact.
• Investing in paper-free invoicing or payment systems.
• Using video calls instead of travelling for meetings.
• Providing a Cycle Scheme to encourage staff to reduce travel emissions.
Make sure to involve your employees and other stakeholders in this process so they can reflect on their own practices and support any changes. Our Higher National Diploma students are heavily involved in supporting us to create innovative change across the organisation by leading on a TerraCycle initiative to recycle the “non-recyclable.”
Finally it is about putting pen to paper (so to speak) and committing these processes, actions and targets into a policy. Once published, make sure your policy is visible on your website and review it constantly to explore ways to improve your practices further.
To discuss this further email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
very much at the heart of
creating a sustainable future
for our businesses and our
planet, many companies are
producing Environmental
and Sustainability Policies to
highlight how their working
practices support their ecocommitment.
Putting together an
E n v i r o n m e n t a l a n d
Sustainability Policy is a
good idea to help you focus
on what you can do to make
your company more ‘green’
and avoid some of the more
wasteful practices you may
have developed.
Our first stage was to set up
a Climate and Sustainability
Action Working Group who
created an action plan for
developing the policy.
A good action plan should look
at the processes within your
organisation and consider
if they can be improved to
incorporate sustainability
practices, with clear and
achievable targets set for
any changes you wish to
implement.