walk the talk
So we promote sustainable development. How does that translate into the way we run our business?
Our biggest impact is through our work. Be it consultancy for a corporate, communications strategies for government or a launch event for an NGO, the work has to promote sustainable development. We have even written that requirement into our articles of association, so we are legally obliged to do it.
In addition we have also signed up to the United Nations Global Compact, download a copy of our pledge here.
We do operate a screening process, based on the FTSE4Good exclusionary criteria, but are more interested in engaging with organisations than telling them they’re not good enough.
Futerra is primarily an office based business. So our office environmental footprint is relatively low, although with teams in New York and London, and clients around the world, our travel footprint is a challenge.
Broadly, the areas covered by our environmental policy include:
- Green procurement
- Premises management
- Energy and carbon management
- Water
- Waste and recycling
- Travel and transport
- People
- Print and production
Some of the headlines from our action include:
- All our buildings are assessed for their energy use and environmental impact. Each location presents different challenges and fresh ways to explore sustainable development. We pay premiums for ‘green energy’, and have explored various methods for offsetting our carbon footprint. Our London office is a grade 2 ‘listed’ building and presents particular challenges.
- Lights, computers and other equipment are turned off when not in use and good use is made of natural light
- Water consumption data is monitored. The offices should be consuming less than 6.4 m3/per employee per annum.
- All our kitchen waste on sites are minimised using wormaries.
- We also aim to reduce our waste production, whether it is by encouraging an increasingly paper free office or through innovations like ‘Swishing’.
- The design process includes assessment of environmental issues when designing marketing and other promotional materials to minimise wasted materials.
- We are developing video conferencing facilities to reduce our travel needs. In the meantime we log all business trips and ‘offset’ with Climate Care.
- We are engaged with the UK Investor in People program.
- London staff collectively have sourced a cook for home cooked lunches which enable them to have a wholesome, freshly cooked, locally sourced, organic meal every day.
- All staff are paid for 5 days of voluntary work each year.
- We support cycle schemes that enable staff to buy bicycles through an interest free loan provided by the company.
This is a good start, but there is still lots to do. Watch this space for updates on our footprint.