Sustainability In The Workplace: Our In-Depth Guide

In this article we’re exploring sustainability in the workplace – what does it involve exactly? The answer may not be exactly what you’re expecting!

More than a third – 35% – of the UK try to shop from sustainable brands, according to OC&C Strategy Consultants. Consumers contribute £150bn of retail spend with sustainable brands.

But even if your company is B2B rather than B2C, clients are looking for partners that don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk on sustainability. More than 90% of large companies now file sustainability reports, 85% of the S&P 500, according to Forbes.

But there’s a common misconception that sustainability is only about preserving the environment.

It’s actually much more complex than that and arguably, the more accurate definition of sustainability means that it’s something 100% of businesses need to prioritise.

Let’s take a look at how to promote sustainability in the workplace from the perspective of the Three Ps – planet, people and profit.

Sustainability and the Three Ps

For more information about the Three Ps of sustainability, take a look at ESG The Report’s blog or explore it through the prism of the Triple Bottom Line.

There is a useful explainer available from the Harvard Business School Online and many other sources too.

In summary, the Three Ps are:

• Planet: environmental concerns, such as pollution and using up resources
• People: social concerns – such as labor practices, staff welfare, and fair trade
• Profit: economic concerns, including poverty and creating new jobs

From a workplace perspective, many tend to solely focus on the ‘planet’ part – i.e. environmental sustainability – but there’s much more to it than that.

Here is the Think FM guide to sustainability in the workplace based on the Three Ps:

Planet

There are many ways for offices, shops and other businesses to make slight changes and become a more environmentally friendly and sustainable workplace.

For offices, we recommend that you:

• Go paperless: Encourage digital documents, use recycled paper if printing is necessary.
• Replace lighting: Switch to LED bulbs for energy savings, to save money and reduce carbon emissions.
• Use the thermostat sparingly: Adjust temperatures by two degrees to reduce CO2 emissions.
• Decorate with plants: Improve air quality with low-maintenance greenery, leveraging natural resources.
• Support greener commutes: Incentivise sustainable transport options or hybrid working.
• Turn off devices: Implement ‘sleep’ modes and motion detectors to conserve energy.
• Avoid single-use products: Provide reusable items and choose sustainable office supplies.
• Limit food waste: Redistribute excess office food responsibly, or consider composting food waste.
• Use green cleaning products: Ensure commercial cleaners use eco-friendly supplies.

Check out our green office ideas for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions.

And for shops, here are our ideas tailored to retail:

• Go digital where you can: Implement paperless receipts and digital samples to reduce waste and costs.
• Optimise your supply chain: Monitor suppliers’ sustainability practices – for example, use renewable energy.
• Use energy efficiently: Switch to LED bulbs, consider solar panels, and be vigilant about energy wastage.
• Consider product rentals: Adopt a rental business model for suitable product lines to reduce manufacturing and waste.
• Refurbish and recycle: Use recycled materials for displays, limit plastic packaging, and offer repair services.
• Upcycle or donate unsold stock: Find creative ways to repurpose items or donate to other companies.
• Launch a buy-back programme: Collect and resell items at a discount or for charity.
• Source sustainable brands and products: Review and challenge suppliers on their sustainability credentials.
• Set customer-facing SMART sustainability goals: Establish accountability with specific, measurable targets.

Find out how to improve sustainability in retail and reduce your carbon footprint in our dedicated guide.

People

For sustainable practices towards the people working in your business, it’s important to have and follow set company values.

These organisational values are principles and standards for the company – in terms of outputs, ways of working, staff mindset, and everything in between.

For example, common organisational values include:

• Integrity
• Accountability
• Adaptability
• Innovation
• Making a difference

Our core value at Think FM is: we do what we say we’re going to do. This ethos is the beating heart of our business, from our directors to our cleaning operatives!

Related to organisation values is employee experience management. It involves leadership setting the tone – the senior management should be accessible, encouraging, and clear in communication.

It also involves investing in staff development – offering growth opportunities, training, and continuing professional development to recognise employee contributions.

Small details can significantly impact employee experience, improving the ‘people’ part of workplace sustainability. Recent research from Tork shows:

• 86% of office employees prioritise cleanliness in a good workplace
• 67% are more likely to complain about unclean washrooms than other office aspects

While a clean office may not motivate employees to come to work, an unclean one can certainly deter them! Here are the benefits of a clean office space for staff.

Profit and sustainability in the workplace

Last but by no means least, responsible profits are key to sustainable business practices.

In simple terms, it means aiming for a more sustainable future as well as a strong financial performance. We’ll leave that part to you!

When spearheading sustainability initiatives, a key challenge is ensuring that all partners and providers align with your goals. For example, with environmentally conscious practices, that includes everyone from your business bank, to the property manager, the cleaning services and everyone in between.

Think FM takes on the responsibility of green cleaning, regularly assessing our supply chain and internal processes to maintain sustainable services. That’s why we are a Living Wage employer, Neutral Carbon Zone certified and Good Business Charter accredited.

For businesses in London seeking to maintain eco-friendly practices, our cleaning services offer solutions. Check out our daily office cleaning services London businesses across the capital have trusted for many years.

We believe that Think FM is the #1 commercial cleaning company London has to offer because always, we do what we say we’re going to do. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about our services.

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