#GreenOffice: Caring for Nature Without Leaving Your Workspace
I always adhere to the principle: "By changing something small, we change the norm."
In my blog, I will share my experience in creating a healthy and comfortable work environment and fostering an environmental culture among employees.
You might ask: "Why does a company even need an eco-friendly office?"
The answer is simple:
It is important for each of us to feel comfortable and safe at the workplace, which is directly proportional to increased productivity and, therefore, the overall success of the company!
How often do you hear phrases like:
"It's all useless!"
"Nothing depends on me..."
"Come on, nothing is actually happening"
"We just don't have the culture for it"
"These issues should be solved at the state level!"
Such judgments are "common knowledge" due to an exclusively subjective norm in solving "global" problems. Moreover, there are many myths:
from → "sorting waste is pointless — it all ends up in one pile anyway"
to → "I am an environmentalist if I don't litter on the street!",
but → there are only 3 conditions to truly change something:
- Attitude towards the problem (What do I think?)
- Subjective norm (What is the accepted way of thinking here?)
- Opportunities (How difficult is it to do?)
Order at work is eco-friendly:
- Getting rid of the unnecessary
- Organizing supplies — much is not needed
- Arranging everything conveniently
- Organizing file storage
How we created an eco-office at Gazstroyprom:
1. Caring for employees
- boxes for energy-saving lamps and used batteries; - a reverse vending machine for plastic bottles and aluminum cans;
- a box for collecting clothes/textiles;
- bins for collecting plastic caps;
- branded eco-souvenirs made from recycled plastic and paper, eternal pencils, etc.
2. Workspace
- separate collection of paper and cardboard waste
- shredders for office paper
- greening of offices and meeting rooms, and creating flower beds at the entrance to the office building
3. Resource conservation
- phasing out plastic tableware in meeting rooms, replacing it with carafes and glass tumblers
- installing food waste disposers in breakrooms
- installing a filter/purifier for tap water
4. Management (ISO 14001)
- implementation of electronic document management (Diadoc, 1C:Enterprise, MyOffice mobile apps, PRO GSP)
- implementation of lean manufacturing and the 5S system
5. Eco-education
- online training courses on ecology and "green" innovations on the company website
- organizing and conducting environmental competitions and seminars
- organizing and participating in city eco-initiatives and community clean-up events
6. Accessibility and infrastructure
- providing eco-friendly transport for rent (bicycles, scooters)
- equipping recreation and sports areas
- waste sorting map https://recyclemap.ru/viewer?ysclid=mf2qdt2uof354229057¢er=30.314130,59.938630,9.00
What drives us? Curiosity??
Inquisitiveness. Learning more and participating — this lifestyle helps preserve nature by developing daily eco-habits (#ecofriendly).