Sponda and WWF Finland are deepening their collaboration to encourage Sponda's customers to join the WWF's Green Office network. The aim of the Green Office co-operation, which starts this spring, is to make it easier for companies to participate in the green network.
The Green Office is an environmental programme for offices developed and organised by WWF Finland. The programme helps to reduce the ecological footprint and greenhouse gas emissions of offices. In Finland, 200 organisations with nearly 70,000 employees have joined the Green Office network. Sponda joined the network in 2009.
This collaboration brings benefits to Sponda's customer companies when they join the Green Office network and operate in it. Sponda supports its customers' Green Office process by participating in their Green Office teams and helping them set their Green Office goals as well as assisting them in reporting the results achieved. Sponda will be informing its customers about the benefits during the spring.
“WWF is happy to start cooperating with Sponda in the Green Office network. Office buildings are in a key position as regards energy consumption and environmentally sustainable solutions,” says WWF's Development Manager Kati Malmelin.
Environmental education for the staff of the National Board of Patents and Registration
The staff of the National Board of Patents and Registration (PRH) were very interested in energy saving as they participated in an environmental event organised jointly by Sponda and WWF and PRH. At lunch time, interested visitors swarmed in front of the stands.
Sponda introduced an energy savings campaign, which it started for the duration of February among the departments of the PRH. All PRH units are on separate floors. In March, it will be determined which floor of the building was best able to curb energy consumption.
“The aim of this 'competition' is to make everyone aware of energy-saving practices so that they can apply them in their everyday lives,” said Sponda's Account Manager Markus Mikkola.
Environmental Manager, Tiina Huovinen, brought an Idea Tree to the Environment Day, which gathered energy-saving tips on its branches. Each visitor was allowed to affix his or her saving tips on the tree branches on flower stickers. The flower stickers urge us to use the stairs instead of the lift, turn off the computer when it is not in use, use shared photocopying machines instead of separate machines by each desk.
“These are small measures but they add up. For example, shared photocopying machines introduce breaks in the work away from the computer and encourage us move about once in a while,” Tiina Huovinen pointed out.
PRH lawyer, Outi Teräskallio, attached an idea of her own onto the Idea Tree: electric wall outlets equipped with on/off switches. She said that she applies the principles of energy saving and environment-friendliness both in the office and at home. However, there's no need to go into extremes with these things, said this mother of two.
The Green Office programme was of interest to PRH translator, Ritva Lahtonen, who explained that at home, too, she tried to live ecologically, avoiding unnecessary consumption. She said that people at PRH, who in their work promote inventions, amongst other things, are always enthusiastic about all things new.
WWF's Helka Julkunen was happy to give advice to Lahtonen. She said that anyone working in the company can suggest that the company join the Green Office network. The suggestion often comes from an employee interested in these things, but it may also come from the CEO, who is convinced about the significance of responsible business practices.
“The initiator then often finds himself or herself working in the Green Office programme,” Helka Julkunen says.
Landfill waste to a minimum
Sponda makes the handling of waste easier for its customers. The goal of the cooperation started with Lassila & Tikanoja is to increase the waste recycling rate to 90% in the most of Sponda's buildings. At the same time, carbon dioxide emissions from the waste produced at Sponda's properties drop by about 300 tonnes per month. Waste sorting was one of the issues at the PRH event, too.
Mixed refuse containers will no longer be used in most of Sponda's buildings where the dry waste and energy recoverable waste will be combined into grade 2 energy recoverable waste. The biodegradable waste will still be sorted separately.
The grade 2 energy recoverable waste is drier and cleaner and can now be utilised in new ways. The waste is sorted, processed and transported to be further processed on Lassila & Tikanoja's new processing line. The sorted waste is mainly utilised as secondary fuel for industry and as recycling material. At the same time, the amount of landfill waste is reduced significantly, to about one-tenth of the current amount.
PS The chewing gum belongs in the dry waste container.