Sustainable business experts Envirowise are calling on bosses in the West Midlands to disclose gas, electricity, water and recycling bills with employees to encourage them to take more responsibility for reducing company outgoings and lessen their environmental impact.
Envirowise says that the more transparent businesses are about the effect rising utility costs are having on the bottom line, the more staff will be encouraged to take a proactive stance towards waste minimisation and adopt the same approach to cost cutting in the workplace as they do at home.
According to Envirowise research, individuals committed to cutting waste at home are lapsing into bad habits as soon as they get to work. The survey of more than 1,800 UK office workers found that a third took no action whatsoever to reduce the amount of resources they use during the working day - meaning vast amounts of resources and money are being lost without trace1.
Envirowise West Midlands regional manager, Sandra Hasler, says: “This research sends out a clear signal to businesses that good domestic environmental practices do not necessarily translate to the workplace. By ensuring gas, electricity, water and recycling bills are not cloaked in mystery staff will have a greater understanding of how their actions can help reduce costs.
"With the credit crunch continuing to bite, cutting costs through better resource efficiency and minimising waste have never been more important. Those businesses that make positive changes to reduce their environmental impact and reduce costs now will be better equipped to survive and thrive during the current downturn."
There are many ways in which businesses in the West Midlands can help employees take more ownership of minimising waste and reducing energy consumption including; appointing a 'champion' to lead waste-busting initiatives, urging employees to switch off lights and computers at the end of the working day, installing self-closing taps to conserve water and reducing mains water usage through rainwater harvesting.
Envirowise has a number of free initiatives, toolkits and guides to help businesses improve environmental performance and resource efficiency. Visit: www.envirowise.gov.uk or call the Envirowise advice line 0800 585794.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
About Envirowise
Envirowise is a Government-funded programme dedicated to putting the sustainable use of resources at the heart of UK business practice.
Since 1994 Envirowise has helped UK businesses save over £1bn by enabling them to significantly reduce their environmental footprints.
Envirowise offers businesses of all sizes and sectors a wide range of free, independent and practical advice designed to genuinely improve their processes, profitability and competitiveness. Services include:
- The Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585794
- An encyclopaedic website (www.envirowise.gov.uk) of valuable and relevant information
- Over 200 events each year, from Product Design Workshops to major exhibitions
1. Envirowise tickbox survey of 1,894 office workers (16 years and above) across the UK - June 2006.