Environmental Policy

CLIENT FILES ARE MANAGED ELECTRONICALLY WHERE POSSIBLE

• Files managed electronically: Small files such as Wills & EPOA’s can now be fully managed online. A small number of physical files are still in use, however, the majority of a client’s file is now electronic.

• Problem: When a client comes in to sign documents, many instances are still done manually on printed copies. 

• Solution: Investigate potential of having an iPad or similar device that sits in the meeting room.  Or introduce a policy that everyone uses their laptop for client signatures.

• Environmental Savings: Energy saving, paper saving, decreasing plastic waste (folders). Managed online and no physical file is required

WORKING FROM HOME

• We encourage people to work from home at least one day a week.

• It reduces transport emissions and can improve productivity through less interruptions.

• Environmental Savings: Transport Emissions

WASTE

We want to decrease all aspects of our waste. This is split into organic material, general waste, paper waste and recyclable waste.

Organic Waste We have a Bokashi Bin located outside the office back door. Bokashi Bins are used to ferment compostable waste.

We can add:

• Fresh fruit and Vegetables

• Prepared foods

• Cooked and uncooked meats, and fish

• Other food such as cheese, eggs, bread, coffee grinds and tea bags

• Wilted flowers

Do not add:

• Liquids such as milk, orange juice or oils

• Paper and plastic wrap

• Large meat bones

General & Plastic Waste

• We have invested in a new coffee machine that uses coffee beans rather than Coffee Pods.

• We will be looking into more environmentally friendly stationery options.

• We ask that each team member personally considers their own plastic wastage – lunch wrappers/glad wrap.

Paper Waste

• Problem: The office confidential paper bin was also being used for normal paper waste which means overflow goes into the landfill bin, rather than being recycled.

• Solution: Get a general paper recycling bin that can be collected at the same time as our confidential bin (so no extra transport emissions are used)

• Environmental Savings: Decreasing landfill waste

Recycling Waste

• Commercial recycling is not available in our area.

• Make a staff roster with everyone’s home recycling days. On your recycling day, you take home the recycling bucket from work and bring it back the next day.

• If someone is taking home something every day, it should not add much to your recycling.

• Environmental Savings: Landfill input

POSTING TRANSPORT EMISSIONS/PRINTING EMISSIONS

The vast majority of people now communicate by email rather than post.

• All documents (reporting/billing/LOE etc) should be sent by email.

• Environmental Savings: Paper savings, energy savings, transport emission savings.

• Each team member is to ensure that every client has an email address saved into internal systems. All staff to use electronic signatures where possible.

PRINTING

Only documents that need to be printed should be printed.

• In most instances, emails can and should be retained and saved into our internal system, rather than being printed out.

• Even if you prefer to read hard copy material, please only print if absolutely necessary. As everything becomes increasingly digitalised, we also need to adapt how we learn and work.

• If you do need to print, everything should be printed double sided (some exceptions apply).

• You do not need to print in order to get something on letterhead. There is a letterhead letter saved in precedents file and additionally there is a background letterhead image that you can insert. From here, you can just send the letterhead letter to the client through email.

• Additionally, you do not need to print something to sign it – use Electronic signatures.

• Environmental Savings: Paper savings, energy savings.

• Team member action points: Set default setting on printer and desktops to double sided.