Our Approach to Minimising Our Environmental Impact

Have a look at how the Innovation Visual team seeks to combat environmental change on a day to day basis:

Tanshire-Park-Reusable-Sustainable-Straws

As you may know, we think that protecting the natural environment is important and as a company and team we have been part of the One Percent for the Planet organisation since 2012. As part of this commitment we donate a minimum of 1% of gross annual turnover to certified environmental causes. These causes have ranged from conserving UK reptiles and amphibians to supporting anti-poaching patrols protecting some of the world’s most endangered species. Donating money is one thing, but we also believe in changing behaviours to help the environment and we have been trying to do more of this each year.

We are committed to Reporting on our Carbon Footprint on a 6 monthly basis.

We are working to minimise our environmental impact 

Far from it, we do a lot of things that we shouldn’t, but we are trying to stop, trying to change, trying to do more to reduce the negative consequences of our business on the environment. These are some of these ideas that the team in Innovation Visual have come up with that we have, or are in the process of implementing.

Reusable Water Bottles

Single use water bottles are a huge contributor to the amount of plastic being produced and subsequently disposed of in landfill or ending up in the ocean. At Innovation Visual we are helping to tackle this by providing our team with reusable metal water bottles. They’re durable, reusable, dishwasher-safe and they are great to use at the office or when with clients as well as relaxing at home or working out at the gym. They’re also great at showcasing our brand!

Innovation Visual's re-usable water bottle

Commuting

Despite our office being rather remote, it is possible to reach using public transport and we do encourage our colleagues and visitors to use alternatives to driving, whenever possible. When we attend external meetings, we will use trains as often as possible: Not only does this keep cars off the roads but also allows us to work during the commute. When driving is unavoidable, we urge our team to plan ahead to ensure that they can drive as efficiently as possible, to increase miles per gallon and to carshare whenever possible.

Heating & Cooling

A major source of carbon output at the office is maintaining a comfortable room temperature. Here's our thoughts on tackling heating and cooling: Putting a timer on the heating programme will help to keep costs down and control unnecessary usage. Closing window curtains or blinds at the end of the day will help reduce heat loss overnight. Before switching on the air conditioning, double check that the radiators are turned off, or simply open a window for a cooling breeze. There will inevitably always be disagreements within an open plan office with regards to how hot or cold the room should be. There are some quick wins here: Have someone who is more often cold? - talk to them about relocating nearer a radiator. The person who is always hot? - a small USB powered desk fan can direct air flow without intruding on others' comfort. 

Recycling

This is obviously not a new initiative and something that Innovation Visual has adopted for many years; from recycling packaging to printer cartridges, but there is always room for improvement and this is something we are always considering. If you are thinking about increasing what you recycle in your office, it’s important to remember that what can be recycled often depends on where you are in the world – this handy guide can show you  what can be recycled in the UK.

Innovation Visual's recycling binsBetter Office Bins

Our waste bin system has proved successful since implemented. Here’s what we do:

  1. We switched from larger accessible bins to smaller bins (with no bin liners) placed away from desks that we then collect in only one bin with a liner. We’ve found this helps the team to think more consciously about what they are throwing away and it also reduces the use of bin liners and therefore we’re throwing away less non-biodegradable plastic! We’re also looking to replace what liners we do use with biodegradable options.
  2. Something that Innovation Visual does daily is recycle our food waste - we have one food waste bin, lined with a bio-degradable caddy liner, for food waste like banana skins and apple cores (this is taken home by a volunteer at least once a week to prevent smells.) This also allows us not to use bin liners in our small waste bins – by separating and avoiding messy food waste in the general waste bins.
  3. Better labelling for our office waste and recycling bins: This helps everyone in the team to be part of the recycling effort, ensuring that the correct waste is being recycled, and that paper, plastics and metals are being kept within the circular economy and don't end up in landfill or the ocean.

Thinking About Plastic

The best way to cope with plastic is to not use it at all. While this may not be practical for all of us at present, there are significant efforts we can all make to limit the amount of plastic that is produced, such as responsible sourcing, having reusable containers and promoting a plastic free culture.

To find out what we’re doing to prevent plastic waste and for further ideas on how to reduce the amount of plastic you use in your office - check out our Blog - 15 Ways to Reduce Plastic Waste in Your Office.

Vegetarian Day

We have one day each week where everyone in the team is invited to have a meat free 24hours. This way, as a team, we can all work together to accumulatively reduce the impacts of meat farming on the environment. We’ve found this is a very simple but effective way to increase engagement, awareness and multiply our positive impact.

Responsible Sourcing

We always try to think about what we are buying and from where. We have our milk delivered in reusable glass bottles and have our groceries delivered without plastic bags and during 'green' time slots to help reduce emissions. We are trying to consume less and make plastic-free or limited plastic options where at all possible - every little effort makes a difference.

Whenever we buy something for the office, we try to consider the following: 

  • Is this a necessary purchase?
  • How far is it travelling?
  • Can this be added to a bulk order?
  • What’s the packaging and can it be reused or recycled?

Reporting 

As part of our commitment to minimising our environmental impact, we will be recording our waste and CO2 output and publishing the results twice a year. 

Environmental Report 2022 Jan-Dec
Environmental Report 2021 Jan-Dec
Environmental Report 2020 Jan-Dec

 

We Want to be Better

Let Us Know Your Ideas

There’s always room for improvement and always space to expand our impact by working with you, our colleagues, neighbours, and clients. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, or final, and we welcome your ideas for how we can improve, help the environment and further reduce our carbon footprint. 

Have a great initiative at your workplace? Please share with us!

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