PROTECTING THE PLANET IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY
HOW WE’RE DOING OUR BIT AS INDIVIDUALS AND AN AGENCY
The world faces an environmental tipping point and those of us working in an industry concerned with selling stuff have a responsibility to do this in a way that minimises environmental impact. From the clients we choose, the work we deliver, through to how we run our businesses and support our staff, there are big and small actions that can help us be kinder and more accountable to the planet.
Figuring out what to measure, how to measure it and how to reduce the impact in the most effective way felt at first like a complex and lengthy task. We reminded ourselves of the mantra – “we don’t need a handful of people doing it perfectly, we need millions doing it imperfectly” – and decided this was a good place to start.
Yes, we have bold, long-term goals but by starting with basics such as reducing waste and environmental charity donations, we’re setting impactful short-term measures to promote a sense of achievement and build quick momentum.
Here are a few of the things we’re doing at Splendid:
Working to a triple bottom line:
Measurement is key to success. Our business plan will report on people, profit and now planet too. We’re setting quarterly KPIs and importantly in a busy company like ours, we’ve got a dedicated Splendid Planet Team with time ring-fenced for environmental activities.
Inspiring discussion and action:
The support of the entire team at Splendid is essential so we’re planning a range of activities to drive engagement across the business.
In January we gave Tesco vouchers for staff to try plant-based recipes and products. Check out our Instagram to see how we did and some of the team’s favourite dishes.
We ran a film club on David Attenborough’s A Perfect Planet series. The team felt it gave them a reality check but wished it had provided more tangible actions we can all take now to make a difference.
Everyone is working towards personal, annual, sustainability goals, whether in their home or working life.
A Splendid Planet Whatsapp group gives all colleagues a place to continue the conversation, sharing interesting articles and tips for more sustainable choices.
Reviewing our suppliers:
We are reviewing all suppliers to select those with an environmental policy that aligns with ours.
We’re looking at simple improvements, such as using only electric vehicles for deliveries and reviewing materials used in creating media mailers, through to minimising the environmental impact of our events.
Off-setting:
Our long-term goal is to be carbon neutral but having moved into a new office just before Lockdown 1, and after a year of working from home, we can’t gather the data to measure our office carbon footprint. We are working on an interim methodology and will support one of the major organisations responsible for tree planting and other environmental initiatives.
We hope that this inspires a few others to kick-start or add momentum to their sustainability plans. In an industry that’s highly competitive, this is an area where we all need to come together and share plans and learnings for the greater good. Get in touch with us on LinkedIn if you would like to chew the fat on this topic. Any learnings and tips would be welcomed!
Niki Hunter Ekins