A time for change
April 1st 2008 A growing emphasis on sustainability is increasingly influencing businesses to take
action on their use of resources.However, effectively implementing change is not
just about having an environment policy or management system in place. It is the
workforce, those people who are managing resources and waste materials on a
daily basis, who could literally be holding the potential success of any new
initiatives in their hands writes Envirowise specialist,Chris Hodgson
any companies have
already demonstrated a
credible commitment to
reducing their environmental
impact, with the retail industry in
particular taking strides to improve
performance in key areas such as
energy and water use.
However, in order for a company
to become truly sustainable,
environmental behaviour needs to
be embedded throughout the
organisation and 'owned'by
everyone working within it.
To help businesses embrace this
cultural change, Envirowise has
launched a new online resource,
'Words to the Wise', to provide
companies of all sizes and sectors
with advice on developing a plan of
action to help embed sustainability
and improve environmental
performance.
Following the completion of a
short questionnaire, the resource
provides a bespoke summary of the
company's current environmental
position, followed by guidance on
the terminology most likely to
resonate at every level within a
company, from junior management,
through to the boardroom.
It also outlines steps for achieving
company-wide buy-in and signposts
a series of resources that businesses
can make use of to turn new
knowledge into action.
In our pressurised workplaces,
there is a danger that not enough
time or encouragement is given to
individuals to think about or take
action on waste. But by making
resource efficiency a high profile
issue within the organisation and
allocating sufficient time and
resource, staff will have the
opportunity to take ownership of
and instigate environmental
change.
By following this approach,
companies often find that it is the
staff themselves who can identify
the greatest efficiency
improvements when given the
capability and resources. For
instance, shop floor staff could be
more familiar with packaging waste
and local recycling facilities than
head office management.
Although it may take both time
and resources to fully ingrain
environmental best-practice into
company culture, there are
significant financial incentives for
doing so not to mention the
potential benefits for staff
motivation.
In addition, firms will often find
that this activity itself becomes a
selling point, which could help to
draw in larger numbers of 'green'
consumers.
Edinburgh based Apex Hotels has
made sustainability key to business
strategy and encourages staff to
consider the environment at all
times.The company has won a
number of prestigious awards as a
result of their green efforts.
Apex Hotels' environmental
director, Jo Harbisher explains:
"Given the right tools to implement
change, companies will see how
profitable a greener business can be.
We have created a working 'Green
Team' across the business and are
achieving great results because we
have support from employees,
customers and suppliers.
"After a recent hotel
refurbishment,we are re-using
furniture and fittings through
donation to local charities and
businesses and have also introduced
a keycard system to control lighting,
heating and air coolers when the
rooms aren't in use.
"It is within the Apex Hotels
culture to look for new ways to
make our business more sustainable
and working with Envirowise on
continuous improvement has been
of great value to our business".
The new 'Words to the Wise'
behaviour change tool can be
accessed by all businesses free of
charge at
www.envirowise.gov.uk/change.
Further information on all areas of
business sustainability and resource
efficiency is available at
www.envirowise.gov.uk or by calling
the Envirowise Advice Line on the
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