5 Tips to Create Sustainable Workplaces

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle has been embedded into our society to manage everyday sustainable practices. But how do we transform this ideal into common practice in the workplace? Here’s some tips on going green in your office…

1.  Waste Management: Create a recycling culture within the workplace by implementing simple strategies to reduce waste. Set printers to print on both sides of the page as a default, use reusable ink cartridges and ensure there are paper recycling bins located throughout the office.
 

2. Work Online: Encourage staff to go paperless as much as possible by switching to an online interface. This will not only help the environment but also save on expenditure. Activities such as reading reports, invitations, meeting notes and sending documents online minimise paper waste significantly.
 

3. Hit The Streets: Whether you’re heading to a meeting or going to lunch, reducing the amount of time spent in a car can have a big impact. Instead of driving solo, try walking, carpooling, cycling or public transport.
 

4. Energy Consumption: With the amount of electrical products left on or in standby mode after business hours, small changes in electrical consumption can make a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Power-saving tips include turning off lights when not in use, switching to LED lights or investing in automatic switches that detect people’s activity. Streamline your company’s computer efficiency by disabling screensavers, turning all electronic items off when not in use and recycling them once obsolete to reduce landfill. Installing solar panels is another great long term power saving solution.
 

5. Extra tips: Further reduce your footprint with effortless practices such as switching to simple cleaning supplies, providing reusable dishes, silverware and glasses and encouraging employees to use reusable coffee cups and plastic containers.

With every small action adding up when it comes to office waste, introducing a holistic approach to create a workplace that cares for both people and the environment can have significant impact.

Did You Know…?

At Krost, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. We know that office furniture can leave a big footprint and we see it as our responsibility to minimise that footprint as much as possible.

• We use environmentally friendly materials

Many of our products use recycled and recyclable materials such as steel or ABS plastic and are all packaged in recyclable cardboard or plastic. Our workstation panels are all upholstered with water-based glues that are environmentally safe, solvent free and with no emission concerns. Our melamine and veneer are manufactured with low formaldehyde emissions, and comply with Australia E1 standards. Wherever possible we use E0 board that emits only half the standard recommended E1 level.

• Our furniture is designed to be reusable

We strive to expand the lifespan of our furniture by having highly adaptable systems that can be disassembled and reassembled. If you are relocating, your Krost furniture can be moved and refitted, following the same or a different configuration to suit your new space.

• Our furniture is designed to last

We offer 5 to 10 years warranty on all our workstations and desks because we believe that furniture should be made to last. Many of our products are externally tested by 3rd party organisation such as AFRDI and BIFMA to test their quality.

• We have appropriate waste management in place

When the job is done and your new furniture beautifully installed, our teams ensure to remove all packaging and recycle as much of the waste as possible.

• We follow best practice principles for our environmental management

Our processes are in full compliance with ISO 14001, the international standard for Environmental Management Systems. With regular audits in place, ISO 14001 helps up identify areas of our operations that put the most strain on the environment and assists us in maximising our environment efficiencies. This means that we are constantly looking for ways to improve. Furthermore, some of our products hold additional qualification such as GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) certification to assure customers of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.