| Three Steps to a Greener Company |
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| Dan Engel, Regional Sales Manager of Polycom | |||
| Thursday, 27 November 2008 | |||
  South Africa has certainly made significant progress in the area of environmental management in the last decade with the implementation of laws and strategies that focus on key environmental areas and promoting a sustainable development agenda for the future. Yet there is still so much that can be done, especially in the corporate world and whilst most organisations recognise the need to become green, many have not taken the step to implement a green initiative. At Polycom, we believe that going green is fundamental to protecting the world for future generations. As such, we are not only passionate about developing technology that will help organisations be more ‘green’, but as a global company, we have taken numerous steps to reduce our carbon footprint and invite organisations and customers to join our programme – Going Green with Polycom. Easy as 1, 2, 3 ‘Going Green with Polycom’ is a three-step programme offered through authorised Polycom channel partners that provides companies with Video Readiness, Green Rollout Planning and Implementation, and Tracking and Measurement programmes. The programme utilises a comprehensive methodology to help organisations reduce their carbon emissions through increased usage of video applications as an alternative to travel. It is as simple as one, two, three! One – we build green products. Our products are compatible with renewable energy from diverse sources and are Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive and Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) compliant. We also strive to continually improve energy consumption. Two - we show customers how they can be greener on day one with our solutions. With our innovative Going Green with Polycom three step methodology, Polycom in concert with our authorised partners help customers benchmark video readiness; implement systems ensuring service quality and operational efficiency; as well as track and report a video call’s savings in travel miles, cost of travel, carbon depletion and system usage. Three - as a global company located in forty countries, we minimise our own environmental impact. We strive to continually reduce our carbon footprint. We conserve natural resources, recycle whenever possible, and mandate usage of our own solutions in lieu of travel. Our employees are encouraged to reduce their personal emissions using Polycom technologies in the office and from their homes. The exciting thing about these three steps and processes is that they are easy to implement and mirror current global trends, so any organisation can use these steps to ‘kick start’ their green programme. Steps to greening your business According to Wainhouse Research*, the trend towards ‘green’ is clear: • 32.9% of companies surveyed increased collaboration tools usage due to carbon impact concerns • 28.1% have a carbon emissions policy • 26.3% say carbon policy is coming in next year As such, Polycom recommends the following steps to reduce CO2. Make company culture adjustments to promote a green policy A company culture that is focused on the same goal at the end of the day will help to make that goal a reality. The start of any greening initiatives should always be targeted at an organisation’s staff. Polycom achieved this by developing a common green culture within the company to ensure that everyone had the same desire to promote and become green. Furthermore, it is important for organisations to determine the rules, regulations and standards around implementing a green initiative into their business. Finding a balance between what these regulations and policies are - and what an organisation can do - is essential in taking the green policy forward. Businesses who want to implement a ‘green’ initiative also need to establish stringent yet practical "sustainability" platforms and corporate policies to ensure that all activities are consistent with protecting natural resources and ensuring quality of life for future generations. Any organisation can use this as a starting point on their quest to becoming green. Energy efficient strategies and tools Energy efficient strategies and tools facilitate employees in their quest to becoming and making an organisation more green. It is not possible for someone to completely stop polluting the environment; however, with certain technology currently available, one can certainly reduce the amount of pollution created. Organisations looking to go green should look at implementing such tools, such as unified collaboration solutions, to assist their employees in this process. Implement stringent travel policies According to the David Suzuki Foundation**, air travel presently accounts for 4% to 9% of the total climate change impact of human activity. Air travel has a disproportionately high impact on the environment relative to the size of the industry, which has seen an 83% increase in carbon dioxide emissions since 1990. A company that spends as much as US$23 million a year on travel, for example, could lose approximately 385 000 hours of productivity and generate more than 14 000 tons of carbon dioxide at a cost of more than US$43 million. By implementing stringent travel policies and using teleconferencing solutions in lieu of travel, this company could save as much as US$6.9 million and reduce its carbon footprint by more than 4 200 tons. Money and the environment don't typically go hand-in-hand. But with stringent travel policies and technology solutions these two opposites can come together through efficiencies that benefit both the planet and the bottom line. Leadership is crucial For any initiative to be successful there needs to be ‘buy-in’ and ‘push’ from the top. Having the board of directors involved from the beginning goes a long way to creating a ‘green’ culture, creating sustainable platforms and strategies and driving the company in its quest to become carbon neutral. Organisations should be passionate about going green and making a difference by being the change they wish to see. The above steps and initiatives have helped Polycom to become more green focussed and have positively impacted the business environment in which we operate. But it’s important to remember that global sustainability is every company’s responsibility. The above steps can be implemented over time by any organisation and allow that business to be apart of a small effort for enormous change. Take action today – become carbon neutral – and join the epidemic of ‘Green Fever’! * Wainhouse Research, Green, August 2007 ** David Suzuki Foundation, Air Travel and Climate Change, http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/air_travel.asp
Disclaimer: Harmonious Living is written for and read by a community of individuals with strong and independent opinions. While the publishers of Harmonious Living are dedicated to providing a forum in which views can be openly expressed, those views do not necessarily reflect those of the publishers.
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