Evolve - responsible business practice

**A4e is a champion of the INclusion Network, a forum for people from non-traditional backgrounds to share knowledge, skills and expertise in order to progress their careers to the top of the UK's Plc's. **

We manage our businesses in a social, ethical and environmentally responsible way and we aim to embed responsible business practise throughout the group.

Today’s heightened interest in the role of business in society has partly been prompted by increased sensitivity to and awareness of environmental and ethical issues and in response we will manage our impact on society and the environment through our operations, products and supply chain, as well as continue to do the best we can for our customers and employees.

Under the name of Evolve A4e is going green, however it is important to put this into context, this isn’t a whim or a huge policy statement  this is about each and everyone of us and how if we changed just one thing that we do in our working day we CAN make a difference.

As a company we need to evolve, not only to ensure that we stay ahead of our competitors - not just to save money on our P&L’s, although if we each implemented one change it then we will save a lot of money in the first month - but more importantly we need to ensure that we continue to improve lives, the lives of our future generations.

Below is a list of the top ten small and quick changes that each of our staff are being encouraged to take so that we can begin to make a difference today, perhaps you or your company may like to take part:

1. Switch off computer monitors when away your desk, over lunch, during meetings and at the end of the day. Monitors use double the electricity of PCs. Each monitor left on overnight wastes enough energy to make 600 photocopies
2. Replace lights with low energy fittings and save 50% of electricity costs.
3. Switch off lights at the end of the day - according to the Carbon Trust lighting an office overnight wastes enough energy to heat water for 1000 cups of tea.
4. Print double-sided where possible – think before you print - Double sided printing reduces the paper usage by 50% immediately!
5. Half filling the kettle and fitting water saving devices to toilets can reduce water use by up to 40%
6. Use a glass to drink water from not the plastic cups
7. Recycle paper and cardboard, consider the real cost of your waste. When you include the materials that are in the waste, and add the cost of treatment, energy and wasted labour, the real cost of waste is often 5 - 20 times the cost of its disposal, and on average is 4% of a company turnover.
8. Arrange recycling of printer and photocopier cartridges
9. When heating, reduce the temperature of a room by one degree and as much as 10%. Most staff are comfortable at 19°C. Similarly, set air- conditioning not to come on below 24°C.
10. Use public transport or car share to reduce carbon emissions from travel. 

Further information on A4e's responsible business practices may be sought through Ollie Gray at ogray@a4e.co.uk