I have now been PECT’s Office Manager for a little over a year and one of the key parts of my role is to look after our membership with Investors in the Environment (iiE).
iiE is a national green accreditation scheme for businesses who want to boost their environmental credentials. The scheme helps businesses to reduce their impact on the environment and make savings by showing them how to track, manage and reduce their energy, water and waste usage. Businesses involved are audited each year and are recognised for their achievements at the annual iiE Awards.
Even through we’re an environmental charity there are always further things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. I have described some of the measures we have in place below:
Energy
– The installation of LED lights meant that last year we were able to reduce our energy use by a whopping 28%!
– Our heating is set between 18-21 degrees and is only on in the winter.
– We turn computer monitors off when not in use and switch lights off when leaving the room.
– We make sure our printers are turned off at the end of the day.
Waste/ Recycling/ Composting
– We have clear bags in waste bins so that our visitors and staff can see how little waste we have.
– We have a compost caddy and large recycling bins.
– We have a sharing table for leftover food to go on so there is no food waste.
– Reusable bags are available for staff to use when they go shopping.
Transport
– We have an electric car for staff to use for external meetings or visits to Peterborough residents or businesses.
– We have bikes for our staff to use.
– If our staff travel to meetings via bike then we will pay them 20p per mile.
Water
– We reuse leftover water from meetings for watering the office plants.
– We have toilet hippos in place in the cisterns, which reduces the amount of water flushed.
Paper
– All of our computers are set up for double-sided, black and white printing.
– We have a scrap paper pile for staff to use.
– We only use FSC certified, recycled paper.
All of these things and more help us to reduce our carbon footprint inside the office as well as our work helping businesses, schools and communities to reduce theirs across the city. At PECT we don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk too!
Selina West is PECT's Office Manager.