As businesses across the country prepare to leave the office over Christmas, Envirowise reminds workers to 'shut up shop' before heading off to enjoy the festivities. Simple actions like shutting down computers and switching off appliances can make a positive impact on a company's bottom line and on the environment.
It's no secret that Christmas and New Year celebrations can be a time of great excess but by making resolutions to highlight resource efficiency as a business priority in 2010, companies could stand to enjoy savings of up to £1000 per employee.
Environmental planning at the start of the year could be the key to boosting a company's profits and a whole host of low-cost or no-cost, simple measures can be implemented to help Scottish businesses get started on the road to a more sustainable future.
One simple way that those in the catering and hospitality sector can get started – including pubs, hotels, restaurants and gyms – is to use a series of free factsheets available to download online at the Envirowise website.
Companies in the sector use an enormous range of different resources, including water for washing and gardening, energy for heating and lighting and food for meal preparation. Yet by following some of the simple changes in the factsheets, or using the free online tools such as Bigsplash Scotland, wasteful practices can be stopped and profits boosted, often in a short space of time.
Reducing operating costs is an attractive incentive to implement greener practices. By kick-starting 2010 with realistic and achievable environmental goals, companies could stand to save up to £1,000 per employee and cut water and effluent bills by up to 50 per cent.
Robbie Weir, Envirowise programme manager for Scotland, commented: "Envirowise urges companies to return to work in the New Year with a fresh outlook on ways to cut back on wasteful habits.
"Scottish firms have much to gain from addressing their resource use and methods like the Envirowise factsheets provide an easy means for staff at all levels to get the advice needed to do this. Even small, simple measures can have an immediate effect, and it needn't take a lot of time; just one hour a week can be enough to convert good environmental intentions into real financial savings.
"In an age of increasingly environmentally-savvy customers, there has never been a better time to make changes."
Envirowise has helped UK businesses save over £1bn by helping them to put sustainable use of resources at the heart of their practice. Downloadable online toolkits, publications and case studies are all accessible by visiting the Envirowise Scotland pages and onsite visits from an expert advisor can also be arranged depending on a company's specific requirements. Call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585794 for information.
Envirowise offers some top tips on how to make 2010 a more sustainable year:
- Communication can be the key to minimising waste, avoid ordering in excess and ensure the purchasing process is succinct.
- Prior to confirming catering arrangements for meetings or company social events, confirm the numbers attending and avoid purchasing disposable catering products such as milk and sugar sachets, paper plates and plastic cutlery.
- Reduce heating temperature by one degree – this can save your heating bill by as much as 10%.
- Run a 'Switch Off' campaign in the office. It is always cheaper to switch off lights no matter how short the time period.
- Introduce green travel plans which could include car sharing, season tickets, reduced fares on public transport and improved facilities in the workplace for cyclists or walkers.
- Renovate furniture rather than buying new replacements – it can save up to 50% of the cost of new products.