ENVIRONMENTAL

At ELE, we work hard to balance delivering the best marketing and content services while staying committed to minimising our impact on the environment.

We think it goes without saying that we comply with all relevant environmental legislation. We also strive to use pollution prevention and environmental best practices in everything we do. But we know we can do better.

We believe maintaining our virtual business structure is crucial to minimising our organisational carbon footprint. Still, we know there’s always room for improvement.

We recognise that even without physical offices, our activities have an environmental impact both nationally and internationally. Our key areas of impact include:

  • Emission of greenhouse gases, both directly from our activities and indirectly through travel to and from meetings and client offices
  • Waste generation
  • Energy use
  • Water use and conservation
  • Supplier choices, especially regarding Scope 3 emissions

Our Commitments

To reduce our environmental impact, we encourage our team to:

  • Cut down on waste and use resources more efficiently
  • Prioritise low-impact and efficient energy sources
  • Reduce their carbon footprints
  • We also focus on sourcing goods and services from suppliers committed to social and environmental responsibility.

We’re committed to:

  • Pursuing and maintaining B Corporation certification
  • Measuring greenhouse gas emissions through and setting annual KPIs, which we publicly report
  • Working to reduce emissions year on year by at least 5 percent, including engaging with suppliers to help them lower their emissions
  • Offsetting any unavoidable emissions through
  • Ecologi, ensuring we’re carbon neutral from day one
  • Helping the team measure energy and water consumption, even in home offices, and encouraging regular reviews of energy-saving measures
  • Promoting sustainable travel options for meetings and coworking
  • Implementing measures to boost recycling and cut waste
  • Encouraging the use of energy-efficient products and services sourced sustainably and ethically
  • Strengthening our culture of environmental sustainability across the agency
  • Setting and publicly reporting environmental targets for the entire organisation
  • Planting a tree through Ecologi for every new client onboarded at ELE or Helen Squared

Actions We’ve Taken Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

Paper and Recycling

We promote a ‘two-bin’ policy to separate recyclable items like paper, cardboard, glass, tin, batteries, plastic, and compost waste. We’re committed to being as paperless as possible, with digital file storage and virtual meetings. When we do use paper, it’s recycled. We’re also working hard to eliminate single-use plastics and encourage reusable water bottles and coffee cups.

Computer Equipment

We responsibly dispose of all electronic equipment. Computers are donated through IT Schools Africa, and other electronics go through local authority recycling. We prioritise refurbished equipment whenever possible.

Book Recycling

We recycle old business books through local charity shops and donate CDs when appropriate.

Energy Consumption

Our email, file storage, and website are hosted on green servers powered by 100 percent renewable energy. ELE HQ, where Helen works, also runs entirely on renewable energy.

Cleaning Products

We use natural, biodegradable cleaning products, purchased in bulk where possible. We encourage team members to do the same at home.

Home Energy Use

Our remote team is encouraged to use thermostats, timers, occupancy sensors, and double-glazed windows to reduce energy use. We also recommend switching to 100 percent renewable energy suppliers.

Lighting

We love natural daylight and encourage its use whenever possible. We also promote energy-saving bulbs, dimmers, task lighting, and reminders to switch off lights when not in use.

IT and Printing

We promote double-sided printing and reusing paper for drafts. Team members are reminded to use energy-efficient printers and computers and to enable energy-saving modes.

Kettles

Yes, even kettles! We encourage boiling only as much water as needed to save energy.

Water Consumption

We promote responsible water use, encouraging low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads. At ELE HQ, we use a rain-collecting water butt for watering plants.

Transport Policy

We encourage public transport and car-sharing where possible. With much of our work being virtual, travel is often unnecessary, but when it is, we promote environmentally friendly options and offset unavoidable emissions.

Communication and Accountability

We empower our team to be active advocates for environmental best practices, even within client environments.

Promoting our Environmental policy is a priority. We send out a monthly email packed with tips, ideas, and case studies to help the team reduce our agency’s impact on the planet.

We also maintain a preferred supplier list on our intranet that everyone can contribute to, covering both professional services (like hosting and SEO) and personal recommendations (such as coffee and cleaning products).

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