This article was originally published in Inside Manila.
When we heard the word “sustainability,” the thing that usually comes out of our mind is going green. While you’re not exactly wrong, there’s actually more to sustainability than “Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle”.
In 1994, John Elkington, founder of British consultancy called “SustainAbility,” coined the phrase “triple bottomline,” which consists of three Ps: Profit, People, and Planet. These are the three important fronts in measuring sustainability in a workplace.
Practicing sustainability especially in the workplace doesn’t have to be complicated. Considering these four factors we got from exclusive interview with President and CEO of Drink Sustainability Communications Harris Guevarra will help you get started:
Employee Care
A sustainable workplace also reflects on how the employees are treated well. It will create a positive environment and positive progress rate based on the work done. For an instance, a company that discourages overtime work has a more sustainable strategy of pursuing their employees to be productive in a day.
Save Energy
Help your company reduce energy consumption by encouraging your colleagues to turn off their computers before leaving, and to make sure to switch off lights when the office is not in use. At least unplug the unnecessary electric devices off before the workday is over will do. This will not only help cut the company’s bills, but will also make the business more environment conscious, yes?
Go Green
Get rid of stress by putting greener accents in your working area. Plants absorb organic and inorganic air pollutants, and release more oxygen into the air—thus, creating a happier and healthier atmosphere. At least that’s one way to detoxify a workplace.
Submit Sustainability Report
Calling it “the language of 21st century business,” President and CEO of Drink Sustainability Communications Harris Guevarra said that in sustainability, looking at the environmental impacts while considering the social performance of the company “must be tied to the policies and management approach.” This is mainly for business owners who wants to engage in sustainability communications.
According to Guevarra, sustainability reporting is important to know the real issues of your stakeholders while gaining a more holistic approach in business and its community initiatives. What makes it more significant is it taps on environmental and social aspects, “encouraging clients to take stock of their operations to make sure that they have a positive effect where they operate.”