8 Eco-Friendly Office Changes That Actually Make a Difference

With greater emphasis being placed on sustainability, companies in New Zealand are increasingly directing their resources towards reducing the environmental impact of their operation.

It doesn’t matter if you are running a large corporate office in Wellington or an owner-operated start-up near Napier, making small eco-conscious changes to the way you work can go a long way towards cutting waste, saving energy, and creating a greener culture.

If you’re looking for realistic and effective ways to transform your workspace into something more eco-friendly, you’re in the right place.

Here are 10 simple office changes you can implement that will make a tangible difference, without costing you a cent or damaging Mother Nature in Aotearoa.

1. Get Rid of Your Rubbish Responsibly

According to statistics from the website businesswaste.co.uk, around 45% of all waste in the UK is produced at work. Of this, 70% is estimated to be recyclable.

While similar research has not been performed in New Zealand, it is fair to assume that the statistics may be quite similar. That is why companies should do all they can to reduce their carbon footprint and the amount of rubbish they send to landfills.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to engage the services of a business like 1300 Rubbish, which specialises in office rubbish removal in Australia.

There are a few Kiwi-based firms that offer a similar service, including JJ's Waste & Recycling, Veolia, and WM New Zealand. They will responsibly dispose of e-waste, furniture, and general junk without sending it straight to the landfill.

Some can also sort items for recycling or donation, which helps to keep otherwise usable goods in circulation and out of dumps.

2. Set Up an E-Waste Recycling Station

Talking of e-waste, most offices have their fair share of old batteries, broken keyboards, and outdated monitors lying around – all of which are common forms of office e-waste.

Instead of letting them pile up or tossing them in the general rubbish, creating a dedicated e-waste bin in the office will ensure they are disposed of responsibly, if you engage the services of a rubbish removal company.

3. Reduce Electricity Consumption

Recent research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that Australian businesses consume around 154,439 gigawatt-hours of electricity every year, at a cost of over $20 billion. Primarily, this comes from powering electrical equipment such as computers, printers, servers, and fax machines, as well as lights, air con and heating.

According to Statista, the figure for New Zealand was around 9.52 thousand gigawatt hours of electricity in 2023.

One of the easiest ways companies can reduce their energy consumption is to upgrade their hardware and electrical systems to be more energy efficient.

Additionally, turning off light bulbs at night, incorporating more natural light into the office and installing motion sensor lights in spaces like bathrooms and meeting rooms that are used less often can significantly reduce electricity wastage.

4. Switch to Recycled or FSC-Certified Paper

According to some estimates, the average New Zealand office worker uses around 10,000 sheets of paper annually.

Some companies are able to counter this by running a paperless office, which incorporates cloud storage, e-signatures, and digital project management tools. However, if your organization still relies on printing, it's a good idea to switch to paper made from recycled content or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

This simple step helps reduce deforestation and supports responsible forestry.

5. Introduce More Real Plants

Another terrific eco-friendly change you can make to your office is to add more greenery to it.

Not only can this spruce the place up a little, but certain indoor plants like spider plants, peace lilies and rubber plants can also help to purify the air and reduce levels of carbon dioxide. It has also been suggested that plants help to dampen noise, lower staff stress levels and boost employee morale.

For a bonus sustainability tick, choose plants native to New Zealand, such as the Silver Lady Fern and Sophora, and eco-friendly pots that are made from recycled materials.

6. Audit Your Office Supplies

If you take a close look at your stationery cupboard, there is a good chance you are still ordering items like plastic pens, single-use highlighters, and disposable coffee pods that are not very environmentally friendly.

Thankfully, there are plenty of sustainable options for nearly every item you can change over to instead. This includes things like refillable pens, recycled notebooks, biodegradable packaging tape, and compostable bin liners.

It’s also worth working with suppliers who use minimal or recyclable packaging and buying in bulk, where possible, to reduce packaging waste and delivery emissions.

7. Use Green Cleaning Products

While they might be cheaper, and therefore regularly used as part of cost-cutting measures, traditional office cleaners often contain harsh chemicals that are bad for both the environment and staff health.

For this reason, swap them out for non-toxic, biodegradable alternatives, which are just as effective but much kinder on your people and the planet.

8. Encourage Greener Commuting

It’s good to make eco-friendly changes within your office. But you shouldn’t forget that your staff have to get to your office first. Therefore, if you really want to maintain green practices, you should encourage or incentivise them to adopt an eco-friendlier commute.

Offering bike racks and access to showers for those who cycle to work is a good first step, while you could also roll out staff incentive programs for carpooling or using electric vehicles.

Of course, you could even completely eliminate the need to commute to the office for one or two days a week by encouraging work-from-home practices.