At EnviroCentre, we believe an effective way to inspire environmental action and positive change is to lead by example. It’s one of the many reasons why we’ve decided to move to a permanent virtual office. Going virtual has become part of our amplified efforts to reduce our environmental impact as an organization.
In the past, we encouraged our staff to choose environmentally-friendly commuting options with a low carbon footprint, such as walking, cycling and public transit. We also had a culture of remote working and compressed workweeks early on, so it was an easy shift for us.
The change has allowed us to eliminate commuting time for our staff, allowing them to enjoy a few more hours of personal time. Less time on the road gives them more time to maintain a greener, happier, healthier, and heartier lifestyle. Plus, several studies show that it can help to boost productivity, performance, and job satisfaction. We are working together to support our staff to ensure they are finding a positive work-life balance.
Working from home allows us to reduce our carbon emissions from heating/cooling and staff transportation needs, which means we’re reducing in the big-ticket areas. (Here in Ottawa emissions related to heating and cooling our indoor spaces make up about 45% of local emissions, with another 45% coming from transportation emissions.) We also reduce the materials required to maintain a dedicated office building. We were happy to be able to donate and redistribute our office supplies to those who could use them!
We are looking forward to setting a new annual climate target, tracking our carbon impact using the Green Economy Canada Impact Accounting Tool, and updating our sustainability plan to reflect our new model.
Is your office looking toward a greener future? Explore our resources and suite of monthly automated learning tools. They offer fun and engaging quizzes, videos, and much more. EnviroCentre and Your Green Business members are leading the way to reduce workplace related climate impacts! Join us today!