We were at one of our monthly meetings with the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) task force when one person asked, “Are we separating office waste correctly?”
The question was interesting because not only is it something we in Germany have so internalized that we sometimes do it without thinking or questioning whether what we do is absolutely effective, but also because it raised other questions such as: Are we being sustainable in our office? Do our colleagues know how different materials should be recycled in our city? Are we aware of the (avoidable) waste we generate?
We knew we were on to something and that we wanted to run with it and shape it. The potential was interesting because it was a discussion we had never had in the company and it allowed us not only to have concrete actions but also to raise awareness, perhaps one of the most important steps towards a more sustainable world.
It was then that we decided to build a program (which we later called the Sustainable Office Program), that would work as an umbrella program for many initiatives, some simple (so simple that it seemed incredible that we had not done them before) and others more complex and requiring a collective contribution.
Sustainable Bites: Opting for Reusable Lunchware
During the brainstorming, we started with what seemed most logical: what do we do every day that generates waste? Lunch! Every time we go to pick up food from nearby restaurants we are given plastic containers that always end up in the black bin. So, we came up with our “Plastic-free lunches” initiative which consisted of buying reusable containers for the office and making agreements with the most popular restaurants in the area to use these containers every time one of our employees passes by.
A Day Dedicated to Responsible E-Waste Recycling
We also knew that there was a lot of waste that for many people might be difficult to know how to dispose of — e-waste. We organized an e-waste recycling day, where employees brought in electronic waste or batteries that they no longer use so that we could go and dispose of them safely.
At SimScale, we like to celebrate. We organize events that bring us together and allow us to socialize. These events are great, but they can generate a lot of waste. We have benchmarked the market and decided to work only with environmentally aware suppliers whose products are biodegradable and have less impact on the planet.
These are just a few of the many initiatives that are part of our Sustainable Office Program, a simple idea but one that allows us to translate our sustainability intentions into everyday life, which is where we can have the most impact.
Stay tuned for more insights into SimScale and see what the team has been up to on our @lifeatsimscale Instagram feed. Want to start your own SimScale story? Make sure to keep an eye on our careers page for possible openings!
