How to improve sustainability in the workplace

We all play a role in reducing our impact on the planet and considering just how much of our lives we spend at work, it makes sense to start with changes there.

That’s why we’re here to explore simple ways your business can reduce its environmental impact and help create a better future. From minimizing energy consumption and choosing sustainable hygiene products to lowering the greenhouse gases produced by employee commutes, there’s lots you can do to drive positive change.

Why is it important to improve sustainability in the workplace?

While we all do things every day that put a strain on the environment, businesses play a significant role in how natural resources are used. This is of course due to the big scale at which they operate, but that doesn’t mean their impact has to be negative. In fact, introducing sustainability initiatives could contribute to improving our planet’s condition while enhancing your facility operations.

It’s worth noting that customers and even your employees are becoming increasingly aware of our impact on the environment. On average, 44% of people globally are more likely to buy from a brand with a clear commitment to sustainability and 75% of workers want a more sustainable workplace. [1] [2] This could mean a potential win-win for your business and the planet.

A sustainable workplace can sound like an enormous challenge but taking small steps makes all the difference, getting you slowly but surely towards your goal. Here are our recommendations to help you get started.

How to make your workplace more sustainable?

While sustainability might look different across different industries, there are some general eco-friendly practices that any business — including yours — can adopt to reduce its environmental footprint.

Use sustainable hygiene and cleaning supplies

Hygiene and cleaning play a big role in workplace productivity, and good news is you don't have to sacrifice sustainability to promote them in your facility. It all starts with the products you choose, whether they’re made from more eco-friendly ingredients, packaged in renewable materials, or contribute less waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Great examples include our Tork hand soaps with natural ingredients, and Tork Folded Wiper/Cloth Dispensers, designed for one-at-a-time dispensing to reduce waste.

Pro tip: Looking out for reputable, third-party certifications like Ecologo is a good idea to ensure any products you choose minimize their impact on the environment.

Pay attention to packaging

Sustainability in hygiene and cleaning products applies not only to what's in them but also how they're packaged. Whether it's spray bottles made of recycled plastic or hand towels packaged in paper or cardboard, paying attention to this means your businesses can make a difference.

Eco-friendly packaging can also help reduce your business’s carbon footprint when it enables production and transportation to use less energy and resources.

At Tork, we've made sure to contribute to a more sustainable world, which is why some of our refills are compressed to take up less space and therefore less energy to transport. Additionally, 90% of our packaging is made from renewable resources like paper and cardboard.

Create sustainable washrooms

There’s one thing every workplace has in common and everyone uses: washrooms. And there are several ways that you can make them more eco-friendly.

An integral part of sustainability is reducing overuse and waste. You can achieve this by investing in high quality, dose-control products, like Tork dispensers. They provide washrooms users with an easy way to access hand soaps, hand sanitisers and paper hand towels, all while only supplying what is needed. This cuts down on waste without compromising on hygiene.

Additionally, you can opt for toilet paper and paper hand towels made from recycled or FSC certified fibers. If you’re considering hand air dryers as an option, take into account the energy they need to run and the increased risk of bacteria spreading through airborne droplets before making a decision.

Switch to electronic filing and documentation

Trying to keep track of physical filing systems and stacks of paperwork dating back months or even years can be challenging and unproductive. Creating and filing documentation electronically drastically reduces paper usage, with the added bonus of making your business more efficient by minimizing human error and speeding up processes.

Encourage greener modes of transport and hybrid working

The commute to and from work looks different for everyone, with some having to travel a significant distance while others are only a mile or two away. Either way, switching to greener modes of transport is an easy and effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

This is why you can contribute by educating your employees on the positive environmental impact of greener travel and even incentivize them to make the switch.

Encourage those travelling longer distances to use public transportation such as trains and buses so more people can get to work with fewer emissions. Inspire people who live closer to your facility to walk or cycle to work. You can even introduce a cycle-to-work scheme that incentivizes workers by offering tax benefits and cost savings on bicycles, which promotes healthier lifestyles and reduces commuting expenses too.

Another sustainable strategy you could implement is hybrid working. If the nature of your business allows for this type of system, working from home at least part-time can contribute to your sustainability goals. A study by International Workplace Group (IWG) and Arup shows that hybrid working can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 87% in the US. [3]

As well as reducing emissions caused by commuting, hybrid work can also:

Lower your facility’s electricity usage and costs
Conserve water by reducing the use of sinks and toilets in your workplace
Reduce the use of disposable plastic cutlery, cups, and plates (assuming employees will use their own reusables at home)
Minimize paper usage (usually the only option for sharing documents remotely is digitally)
Save you an average of $10,000 per year for each employee who works half of the time from home. [4] (from a reduced need to operate bigger office spaces)
Result in a happier and more productive workforce, as people tend to appreciate this level of flexibility and experience a stronger work-life balance

Swap to renewable energy sources and LED lighting

Fossil fuels are the most significant contributors to climate change worldwide, creating over 75% of greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. [5] But you’ve got other options. Green energy is an effective way to significantly reduce your business's environmental impact by harnessing power from alternative origins.

Renewable energy sources have a more positive impact on the environment and can help safeguard your business’s profits. Not only are renewable sources of energy cheaper than fossil fuels in general, but their costs have significantly declined over the past few years. [6] In contrast, fossil fuel prices can be extremely volatile depending on a number of factors, including global demand, supply factors, and world events. By switching to renewables, you can run your business at a lower and more reliable cost.

This sustainability initiative is particularly beneficial for businesses that traditionally rely heavily on fossil fuels to operate, such as transportation and manufacturing.

On top of that, regardless of the origin of the energy used in your facility, switching to LED lighting is a great way to save resources and optimize your budget. LED fixtures are not only more energy efficient but are lower maintenance and longer lasting options. In fact, LED lighting is up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting fixtures such as fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. [7]

Reduce single-use plastics

Whether it's the cups at a coffee station in a factory breakout room or the cutlery at a restaurant takeout area, single-use plastics are common in most workplaces nowadays. Globally, more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste are produced every year, 1.75 million of which ends up in our oceans, damaging aquatic life. [8][9]

You can change this by switching to alternatives like paper straws and sustainable cutlery. These kinds of products are usually just as effective at their jobs but much more mindful of the planet.

In many cases you can even eliminate disposable products from the workplace completely by providing alternatives such as reusable mugs or water bottles and metal cutlery.

That’s not to say single-use plastic needs to be banned altogether, as it does have its place in many contexts, particularly the medical and manufacturing industries. In these cases, recycled and renewable plastics can be a great option to support your sustainability goals without sacrificing hygiene and efficacy.

Recycle

Some level of waste is bound to happen at every business, but how you manage that waste makes all the difference. Try keeping the planet in mind by separating any recyclable materials so that they can have a second life. Clearly marking recycling bins in your facility’s waste disposal areas makes this task easier for all employees.

In an office environment, you could also consider placing small office recycling bins under each desk to encourage contributions to your company’s overall sustainability efforts.

Set up a workplace composting scheme

Repurposing organic matter to create natural fertilizers through composting is a key contributor to sustainability. It reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, minimizes waste sent to landfills, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and supports healthier ecosystems by enhancing soil biodiversity and nutrient cycles.

Although foodservice is the most obvious industry that can contribute by composting, many compostable foods are commonplace in most workplaces, including:

Eggshells
Coffee grounds
Biodegradable tea bags
Fruit and vegetable scraps

If your business is particularly prone to food waste, creating a composting scheme is a great way to improve soil health using natural resources. In the bigger picture, healthier soil retains more water, which can help offset droughts caused by climate change.

The cornerstone to creating effective, nutritional and carbon-rich compost is the right balance of green and brown waste. Here is a simple guide to help you get started:

25-50% green waste – meaning food scraps and other organic kitchen waste.
50-75% brown waste – dry wood waste including plant trimmings, certified compostable paper towels and napkins, paper (except for colored or glossy paper), and cardboard.

Create a sustainability culture at work

Implementing sustainable business practices shows you lead by example. The next step is inspiring employees to adopt them as a mindset. Our Eco Office Survey suggests that 51% of employees would like their employer to communicate better on sustainability in the workplace. [2] This shows what an untapped opportunity may exist for your business to make an impact.

Creating a company culture of sustainability involves educating and empowering your employees to make environmentally friendly choices in their daily work routines. When you provide them with training sessions and resources on sustainability practices, your teams can better understand the importance of creating an eco-friendly workplace. This could start as simple as reminding them of sustainability concepts that people generally are already familiar with, such as the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). You could also consider creating ‘green teams’ within your business to streamline the processes to meet your sustainability goals and create an opportunity for team bonding.

You might also consider rewarding employees who share new sustainability ideas for the workplace, which could help you figure out the initiatives that they’re motivated to participate in. Or you could turn taking sustainability actions into a friendly competition where top contributors get special recognition or prizes. There’s plenty of choices depending on what feels right for your company.

Although it may not seem obvious, promoting a culture of workplace sustainability can actually go a long way in attracting and retaining top talent. Our Eco Office Survey found that 8 in 10 people that look for a new job select a company based on their sustainable reputation and actions. Not only that, but 1 in 8 have considered leaving a job due to the lack of green practices in the workplace. [2]

At the end of the day, building a more sustainable future means making eco-conscious choices whenever we can, including the workplace. Whether it's improving energy efficiency and reducing its usage, encouraging greener travel or sourcing eco-friendly cleaning products, every sustainability effort makes a difference. What matters most is to get started on that journey for the sake of your business and the planet.

Find out more about our commitment to sustainability with Tork carbon-neutral dispensers, contributing to UN Sustainable Development goals, and helping your business earn LEED-credits through our products.