Are you the manager of a company or simply a department, and concerned about the environment and the well-being of your teams? In this article, you will find some of the simplest tips for implementing a more responsible management style, both environmentally and socially.
Firstly, a company is considered responsible when it is committed to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), which means that the company takes into account sustainable development issues in particular, but not exclusively! CSR is based on three areas: society, the economy and the environment.
Selective sorting
To begin with, a simple gesture that greatly helps nature is waste sorting. It is a simple gesture that should be automatic for all of us, but also in all businesses, and yet it is not widespread. All you need to do is install different bins side by side to make it easier to get into the habit. A yellow bin for paper and plastic packaging, a black bin for household waste or non-recyclable items, and finally a green bin for glass.
Monitor your consumption
Another tip that saves money while improving the health of our planet is to reduce electricity consumption. Turning off all the lights when leaving the office is essential! It’s a simple habit that not everyone has acquired yet! But we also need to remember to turn down the heating. This can be done automatically, with a timer set for a certain time, or manually, by turning down the radiators in the evening before leaving the office and turning them back up in the morning when the first people arrive. At the same time, for efficient heating, buildings should ideally be sufficiently insulated to retain heat or coolness as effectively as possible.
On the other hand, during hot weather in offices equipped with air conditioning, it is important to remain vigilant and moderate its use, just as with heating in winter, using certain temperatures as a benchmark not to be exceeded. Why not organise a little competition between offices, using regular readings to identify which one is the most responsible? And when the premises empty at the end of the day, remember to turn off or significantly reduce the heating or air conditioning – you’ll see the difference in your final bill!
Whether it’s in summer to cope with the heat thanks to air conditioning or in winter to combat the cold with heating, another simple step is essential: close the external doors! Indeed, how many establishments allow their staff or customers to come and go without encouraging them to manage this simple aspect, thus giving the impression of wanting to cool or heat the street outside!
The proper use of digital technology
From a digital perspective, sending emails systematically is very practical for communicating both internally and externally within a company, and it eliminates the need for paper. However, there is a downside. The hundreds of emails we send or receive are all too often stored in our inboxes, spam folders or even deleted items folders, but not permanently. This long-term storage of emails, which physically translates into storage on a server somewhere on our planet, systematically generates greenhouse gases, which have negative consequences in terms of global warming. A simple step to take is to systematically delete unnecessary emails, spam, or emails sent between colleagues that are no longer needed once the information has been transmitted.
Another practical feature that avoids the use of paper is shared documents, such as those offered by Google Docs or other equivalent tools. Some platforms allow you to work on the same document, make changes simultaneously and use a conversation feature that is directly integrated into the shared document. No more brainstorming sessions on sheets of paper covered in scribbles that need to be retyped so that everyone has the final version!
Shared spaces
In shared spaces, whether at the coffee machine or in dining areas, the use of reusable tableware is strongly recommended. At the coffee machine, rather than using the paper cups provided, bringing your own mug is a great alternative and also keeps your coffee hot for longer! In dining areas, providing crockery allows employees to bring their own meals and lunch boxes more easily, rather than rushing to the nearest bakery. This encourages sharing meals with colleagues and promotes team cohesion.
Team outings
And when searching for an outing with colleagues, why not consider low-energy team-building activities from among all the options available on the internet? There are many options available, including sand yachting, paddleboarding and other water sports if you are near the coast, or activities that reconnect you with nature if you have the opportunity to venture outside urban areas, low-energy outdoor games, and why not consider tree climbing, which offers thrills without consuming any energy as it is all natural! And let’s not forget an activity designed for groups to enjoy in the great outdoors without consuming any energy. At Fontdouce, we offer a team-building activity specially designed for groups ready to venture out and have fun in a natural setting: The Totem Odyssey. Teams compete in the heart of the Fontdouce valley in challenges set up on wooden structures that require no energy to create fun!
