How to Support the Fight for Climate if You’re a Global Brand?

In 2015, through the Paris Agreement, it was declared that the private sector maintains a pivotal role in the fight against climate change for the first time in history. The previous consensus held that the pressure was primarily on the global governments to take action and mitigate the impact of climate change. 

Now, every company is expected to assume responsibility for making sure that they not 

Each company can contribute to this fight in its own way; whether through financing different projects, investing in new technologies, or changing its workflow policies. After the establishment of the Paris Agreement, more than 500 large companies worldwide made over 800 commitments to take action.

Do you want to join their ranks but are unsure where to start? Take a look at our list of things you can do to start off with:

Begin with evaluating your greenhouse gas emissions and defining which part of your workflow causes the highest pollution level. There are plenty of carbon footprint calculators online that will help you to calculate your carbon footprint. Once you have a clear picture of your contribution to climate change, you can then think of solutions to reduce your emissions.

Reduce energy consumption. No matter how big or small your company is, it is still advisable to take action whenever you can to minimize energy use. Make sure that employees are turning off lights every evening, taking the devices out of the plug-sockets whenever possible, and adjust the daily routines in the offices. While separately those actions may seem small, together they’ll make a difference.

Reduce waste. There are lots of ways to reduce waste in the office. Start with changing disposable cups to reusable one, use dual-sided printing settings, install water coolers instead of using plastic bottles, bring lunches in reusable containers, recycle all electronic equipment, and so on.

Optimize transportation needs. Encourage remote working to save time and resources, and promote the use of public transport over cars, and choose trains over planes when traveling internationally. The environmental effects of transport cannot be overestimated since it makes up almost a third of total greenhouse gas emissions globally. So, cutting on that whenever possible will make a huge difference in the long-term perspective.

Optimize global print workflows. Choose printing locally overprinting centrally whenever you:

• Participate in an event anywhere in the world and need to print promotional materials locally

• Need to print corporate materials and share them with your employees/clients/business partners

• Provide your new employees with welcome packs across your offices globally.

Companies such as Cloudprinter.com offer you a solution for printing locally all over the world, saving your money and time on shipping, while also helping you become more eco-friendly.

Print your materials with sustainable partners. Cloudprinter.com has built long-term relationships with trusted print partners who meet our standards of ethics. The platform has 170+ print partners in 104 countries, which allows you to remain environmentally sound in your printing needs wherever your offices are.

Use renewable energy. By installing solar panels, wind turbines, and other forms of renewable energy, you not only contribute to the fight against climate change but also save money on energy bills.

Raise awareness. Last but not least, raising awareness is crucial in the fight against climate change. The more people know about the short and long-term consequences of climate change and how we as a society contribute to it, the better. So, spread information among your employees, clients, and stakeholders. Organize social initiatives, involving your partners and associates, create special projects aimed at sustainability, and be the catalyst for change in your environment.

In conclusion, the Paris Agreement has set an ambitious goal to keep global temperatures well below 2.0 C. This aim can only be achieved through the united effort of governments, private companies, and organizations. Thus, the business community holds the potential to cut global emissions levels and have a real impact on the fight against climate change.