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Carbon emissions are a hot topic these days, with the likes of Greta Thunberg and Extinction Rebellion grabbing headlines seemingly every week.

However, beneath all the sensationalism lies a very clear message: pollution and climate change are very real issues that the world needs to address.

But why wait to take action? As Benjamin Franklin once said, don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

Tips for Reducing Your Company's Carbon Footprint

Reducing your carbon footprint doesn't necessarily mean you need to live off the grid in a self-sustainable cabin in the woods. It can be as easy as making a few small changes around the office.

Ready to get on the road to a greener workplace? Here are 3 great tips for businesses looking to shrink their carbon footprint into a baby step.

1. Go Digital

Perhaps the most obvious suggestion on this list, the first port of call for any business looking to reduce their carbon footprint should be to ditch paper and other physical mediums in favour of digital communications.

Giving up hard copies and focusing on digital documents can reduce waste dramatically, eliminating mounds of paper office-wide and saving space in the process.

For example, if you're seeking ISO 9001 certification for your business, you can reduce waste by working with a digital certification body instead of going the traditional route. Digital certification means fewer auditors on the road and less CO2 in our planet's atmosphere.

2. Recycle Waste

Whether your business is big, small or somewhere in between, your company can and will produce a variety of waste.

Introducing recycling points into the workplace is a logical step to help minimise any office waste that's created throughout the working day.

Meanwhile, even office appliances and hardware can be recycled when they come to the end of their working life, so think twice before you send that old photocopier or PC to the tip.

3. Video Conferencing

Thanks to modern technology, communication has come on light-years over the last two decades, meaning that travel is becoming increasingly unnecessary.

Where possible, it may be worth scheduling a video conference call instead of a face-to-face meeting, particularly if the latter requires lengthy travel.

Not only will it save considerable amount of time and fuel, it will also save your business money in the process. If that isn't incentive enough to go green, we don't know what is!

Find a USAS-accredited digital certification body >>

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

As time goes by, consumers are becoming increasingly educated about the environment and the impact that human activity has on the Earth.

In 2014, a global survey showed that 55% of consumers are willing to pay higher prices for goods and services from businesses with environmentally-friendly business practices. By adopting eco-friendly practices, you will be enhancing your bottom line as well as the environment.

However, all of your efforts to go ‘green’ must be genuine if you want to advertise them. Consumers have the ability to penalise and punish organisations deemed to be misleading them with false claims of sustainability (known as ‘greenwashing’).

So, what can your business do to become more environmentally-friendly? Here are three simple steps to get the ball rolling:

1. Go digital with your documents – Going digital means less paper. Paper makes up around 35% of the planet’s waste stream, so by using as little paper as possible, you can help to reduce this waste.
   
   
2. Pull the plug – When the office is closed and everyone has gone home, switch off everything you possibly can before you leave. This includes computers, monitors, printers and other gadgets.
   
   
3. Work with other green companies – With such a huge emphasis on eco-friendly practices, working with like-minded businesses is a great way to promote your own green efforts. Building a ‘green network’ to make your whole supply chain as environmentally-friendly as possible can go a long way.

READ MORE: What are we doing to help the environment?

Image from Pixabay

ISO 14001 is the internationally-recognised standard for environmental management systems.

A company can implement an environmental management system (EMS) in order to minimise the impact of their operations on the world around us.

Once implemented, an EMS may be audited and awarded ISO 14001 certification if it complies with ISO standards.

Visit ISO.org for more information on ISO 14001 >

Does my company need an environmental management system?

Adhering to an ISO 14001-certified EMS is a great way to limit the environmental impact of your organisation.

REQUIREMENTS: In order to achieve ISO 14001 certification, you will need to demonstrate that every part of your organisation is adhering to your EMS and working to achieve continual improvement as regards your environmental impact.

If you're committed to doing as little damage as possible to the world around us, you may wish to consider pursuing digital ISO 14001 certification. Getting certified online reduces carbon emissions because there's no need for auditors to travel to your location.

Find a USAS-accredited digital certification body >

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

In September 2019, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg sat before members of Congress and urged them to "take real action" on climate change.

"I don't want you to listen to me," said the 16-year-old. "I want you to listen to the scientists. I want you to unite behind the science and I want you to take real action."

Thunberg has become the face of a global youth movement that's seen young people all over the world walking out of their classrooms to attend climate protests. The impact of this campaign has been phenomenal - just take a look at the SchoolStrike4Climate hashtag on Twitter!

What is USAS doing to help?

We at USAS believe that everyone needs to take action in order to overcome the existential threat of climate change.

Our digital certification services are helping to reduce carbon emissions by taking auditors - and their cars - off the road for good.

We have already calculated that we have taken 25 auditors off the road, keeping 185 metric tonnes of CO2e out of Earth's atmosphere in the process!

Learn more about USAS and digital certification >

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