Sustainability is high on the priority list for many companies. Although it is an important topic because it can have a big impact, organizations often see sustainability in the workplace as something that is difficult to tackle. In this article, you will read examples of sustainability that you can immediately start working on as an organization.

Why sustainable business and what are the possibilities?

Sustainable business offers various benefits, such as lower costs, a better image, and motivated employees. As an organization, you also become more attractive to partners and investors. Moreover, with a sustainable enterprise, you are prepared for the future. Ultimately, every organization must be completely climate-neutral by 2050. But how do you create a sustainable workplace? Below are three ways to make your company more sustainable and take a step forward towards a sustainable future.

Encourage sustainable transportation

The way we get to work is of great importance for our ecological footprint. The easiest way to make transportation more sustainable is to limit commuting. If you are an employer, encourage employees to travel sustainably, for example, by providing a high travel expense allowance for public transport. Offering extra discounts on (electric) bikes is also a good incentive for employees to buy a bike and use it more often.

If visiting clients and partners in person is an important part of your work or if your employees are car-dependent, look for ways to drive as efficiently as possible or consider purchasing an electric car. In addition, some sectors allow for hybrid work. For example, give your employees the choice to alternate between working in the office or from home, thus reducing commuting to some extent.

Ensure sustainable office design

A impactful step to make your company building more sustainable is to reduce energy consumption and phase out the use of gas. This may seem like a big step that may not be immediately taken, but it is necessary in the long run. When designing the office, there are also a few things you can do to reduce the impact on the environment. Small adjustments, such as using LED lighting instead of lamps, are already a good step towards making your workplace more sustainable.

Plants are also seen as sustainable. They convert CO2 into oxygen. In addition, employees are less stressed, more alert, and feel more comfortable thanks to the plants in the office. Furthermore, working in a green environment has a positive effect on the physical and mental health of employees according to various studies. So a green work environment is not only good for the climate, but it also gives employees a nice feeling!

Choose environmentally friendly products

Whether it's furniture, electronics, or smaller products like disposables, the vast majority of companies produce something. You may not be a manufacturer of certain products, but you print flyers or brochures or give away goodie bags. In any case, making products more sustainable is becoming increasingly necessary due to specific laws and regulations. Making your products more sustainable can be done in various ways. For example, choose sustainable, recyclable, or biodegradable raw materials. Or go even further by using recycled materials as a raw material. In addition, you can also make a difference in the product design. Ensure that parts are easy to replace, so that the consumer does not have to throw away the entire product if one part is defective.

The role of sustainability at TakeAware

At TakeAware, everything is about friendly disposables, which is why we do not sell regular packaging material. At the same time, we are also realistic enough to understand that unfortunately there is not yet a (good) alternative for everything. So we are taking steps in this direction, but we don't want to make it too heavy right away. With us, the search for more sustainable alternatives to disposables never stops. We continuously do our very best to keep innovating. Many of our products are therefore made from plant-based materials, such as bamboo, palm leaves or sugarcane. In addition, our entire production process is designed in such a way that as few links as possible are involved. This means lower costs for us and a lower price for you! Are you curious about our range? Take a look at our coffee cups, snack trays or paper bags.