GUEST BLOG: CSR, the environment and your business

By Sana Khan, commercial contracts attorney at Arista Networks

In part three of a seven-part series on CSR, Sana Khan advises how to help the environment and your business through simple CSR measures.

Companies, as they grow larger, actually spend less time reviewing their efficiency in terms of environmental impact – for example, by examining how their energy bills can be reduced, and how they can increase recycling and save money.

Larger organisations can introduce green targets for their various offices, thus introducing a competitive element between the offices as they try to reduce energy cost, increase reuse, and recycle waste as much as they can. This way external stakeholders will benefit, and it will also enable healthy competitions for internal stakeholders – with the winning office getting a prize such as a dinner for all staff, for example. This will also likely reduce the company’s bills, saving money.

Furthermore, a company could introduce a requirement that the organisation, for the most part, goes paperless and any paper or stationery used will be made out of recycled paper. Nowadays recycled paper can also be of a high quality, and can prove to be relatively cheaper than normal paper.

PAPER TOWNS

Recycled paper can be used when contacting outside parties: this way your recycling efforts will come to the attention of third parties who might very well become inspired to use similar recycling initiatives. After all, if large organisations are seen to be supporters then it is only a matter of time before other organisations, especially SMEs, start following the trend.

One thing you can do to explain the idea to an outside party is to insert a note on the paper stating that you are using recycled paper as part of your organisation’s green effort. This, in itself, is a CSR policy.

You could also implement a policy of sponsoring conservation efforts, for example saving a specific species of animal from extinction, reducing deforestation, or planting more trees to counter the adverse environmental policy of others. This in itself will have a great effect on internal and external stakeholders because everyone is aware how delicate the environment is and that things need to change for the better.

Your large organisation can be seen as a leader in environmental matters, making it a great marketing tool. After all, CSR is not philanthropy, but rather doing social responsible business while ensuring maximum commercial value. If this were not the case then your organisation would simply be a charity.

LASTING LEGACY

Larger organisations have the power to implement lasting CSR initiatives given the strength of resources available to them and the globalised spread of their offices. In these cases it is ideal to set up events, such as environmental awards, that can have international reach. This is another way that your large organisation can implement a CSR policy.

However, your CSR initiative can simply be based on small changes you implement within your organisation, and this collectively can have a huge impact on improving the earth’s sustainability. The following are useful ideas that are easy to implement in practice:

• Ensuring that all electronic equipment is shut down automatically when not in use in the evening, or ensuring they are put on standby/sleep/hibernate settings during the day. This can be enforced by programming the devices to make it easier for your staff. You can request the IT facility within your organisation to shut down the computers automatically if they are not in use at a certain time during the day, and you can ensure that after a specific time the computer or other electrical device is made to go on standby/sleep/hibernate mode during the day. This all saves energy, improves the environment and reduces your energy bills.
• Use energy-efficient lightbulbs in all of your offices.
• Introduce a lighting system that turns on once someone enters the room and turns off automatically when there is no movement in the office/rooms.
• Avoid using disposable cutlery and invest in a communal set of cutlery that can be reused constantly.
• Implement a water purification system to allow tap water to be drinkable. This will limit spending money on bottled water and limit the use of plastic.
• Avoid using the thermostat when not needed. After all, every degree represents a 5% reduction or increase in use depending on your alternation of the thermostat.
• Ban the use of plastic bags and bottles – provide recyclable and reusable bottles and bags. This way you will prevent your staff from having any excuse to not follow your CSR initiative.
• Encourage public transport, cycling, walking or carpooling among co-workers and enable suitable incentives to staff who do so.
• Use only environmentally friendly cleaning products.

CSR is not philanthropy, but rather doing social responsible business while ensuring maximum commercial value. If this were not the case then your organisation would simply be a charity

These small acts are a great way to start to build your organisation’s environmental policy and won’t cost you loads to implement in the first instance. Through attention, education and awareness effective change will come, one small act at a time.

In terms of risk implications there really isn’t much you need to consider if you introduce a CSR policy focused on changes such as the above within your organisation. For example, if you decide to implement bigger CSR initiatives – i.e. if you support other conservation efforts through the efforts of the World Wildlife Federation or implement an awards policy – you will have additional risk requirements to meet, like entering into external contracts, which will bring with them additional legal considerations for your organisation.

Part one: Thinking about CSR in a new light
Part two: Building a community around your business with CSR
Part four: How workplace CSR can help human rights
Part five: Crowdsourcing your CSR ideas
Part six: Bringing technology to places that need it most
Part seven: CSR, entrepreneurship and medical aid

Photo (above): James Wang