Sustainability in the workplace

Following on from Cop28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023, have you been thinking about sustainability and ESG, and how you could introduce sustainability in the workplace?

The commitment was finally made to start the transition away from fossil fuels, with nearly 200 countries pledging to move away from fossil fuel in an effort to reduce global warming. In reality, this is a transition that will need both Government and individuals to make some difficult changes to our behaviours.

Sustainability in the workplace

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are used to measure a business on its sustainability, ethics, and impact on the community. Going beyond profitability and performance, these factors look at how energy and resources are used within a business and how that impacts the world around us. So, your use of fossil fuels is being put firmly at the front of the agenda if we are to play our part in meeting COP28 commitments.

And it’s not just the big companies that need to change. The UK is made up of thousands of micro and SME-sized businesses, employing millions of people. So smaller organisations have a lot of potential to make a difference.

So what could you look at doing?

• Review your production processes and supply chains. Reducing waste or energy will make a big difference and could actually save you money.
• Look at your energy usage. Could you reduce it or move to renewable energy?
• Travel and transport make up a big chunk of emissions and fossil fuel consumption, so moving to electric vehicles, or move meetings online can reduce both of those.
• Look at your packaging. Could you swap out plastics, for example? Or work with your suppliers to make more environmentally-friendly choices?
• Certification like B Corp take organisations through the process of making their processes and behaviours more planet-conscious, as well as helping them to improve the customer experience and encouraging them to take their social responsibilities seriously.

The world is going through a period of change and if you want to play your part, we can help you understand how changes might impact your business. You can find your nearest AIMS accountant here.