{"id":4087,"date":"2020-04-16T08:33:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T08:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/?p=4087"},"modified":"2022-05-18T10:30:05","modified_gmt":"2022-05-18T10:30:05","slug":"five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Five easy ways for SMEs to join the circular economy"},"content":{"rendered":"

An alternative way to transform your office and business by embracing sustainability<\/em><\/h3>\n

The idea of a circular economy, which aims to eliminate waste and encourage the reuse of resources, may sound complex but it\u2019s easy for offices to adopt and can even save your business money – and the good news is that it isn\u2019t only big business which can take part.<\/p>\n

What is the circular economy?<\/h2>\n

This phrase describes an alternative model to a linear business world in which goods are made, used and then disposed of.\u00a0 In a circular economy, the focus is on a more resource-efficient way of doing things, one in which waste is eliminated, resources are kept in use for as long as possible, and natural systems are regenerated.<\/p>\n

Many organisations, large and small, are committing to implementing better business practices, applying circular economy principles.\u00a0 The office is a perfect place to start because that\u2019s where so many resources are consumed – from the carpet we walk on, chairs we sit on, the desks we work at and all the IT, paper and stationery that goes with it – which has led to the term \u2018circular office\u2019.<\/p>\n

It may sound like a complicated ethos but it really isn\u2019t. Many of the principles can easily be grasped and put into action by SMEs who can not only benefit environmentally but also financially. \u00a0Business in the Community has estimated that office waste costs UK businesses \u00a315bn per year and that reducing waste can save organisations between \u00a3400 and \u00a31,000 each year for every employee \u2013 a cost saving that no business whatever its size can afford to ignore.<\/p>\n

Here are five quick ways that SMEs can start to embrace the circular economy and move towards a circular office:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Start by asking questions about everything in your office<\/h3>\n

    Every office is different but if you start by asking three simple questions about the resources in your office, you can start to identify opportunities:<\/p>\n

    Answering these questions will reframe the way you think about everyday items and help you identify \u2018quick wins\u2019, top priorities and longer-term aspirations to reduce consumption, use resources for longer and eliminate waste.<\/p>\n

    \u201cDo we really need it?\u201d<\/strong>
    \nIf, for example, the office carpet is worn in areas of heavy footfall, do you really need a whole new office carpet or can you just re-patch those carpet tiles that are in worn areas and use the old carpet tiles in areas that are hidden by storage?
    \n\u201cWhat is this made of?\u201c<\/strong>
    \nIs this carpet made from a sustainable source or from recycled content?
    \n\u201cWhat happens to it when we\u2019re done with it?\u201d
    \n<\/strong>Does your carpet supplier have a take-back scheme? Can the carpet be sold or donated or, failing that, recycled?<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    Buy better quality whether it’s new or used<\/h3>\n

    If you are able to buy high quality products from well-known and reputable brands \u2013 whether its furniture, IT and AV equipment or lighting systems \u2013 these will have a lot longer lifecycle than cheaper, more disposable products and will cost less in the long term.<\/p>\n

    Before you protest that you can\u2019t afford to \u2013 have you thought about buying used?\u00a0 High quality used office furniture, for example, is available from top brands at a fraction of the cost of buying new.\u00a0 By buying used, you are helping to keep existing resources in use for longer and preventing them from being disposed of.\u00a0 You are also preventing the waste, energy and water consumption associated with the manufacturing process of most new products.<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    Pass on redundant assets to extend their lifecycle<\/h3>\n

    If you buy high quality products \u2013 whether new or used \u2013 you may be able to sell these on when you no longer want them, creating revenue in the process.\u00a0 Even if there is no resale value, you may be able to give away redundant items such as IT and communications equipment on online platforms such as Freegle or donate them to a charity \u2013 prolonging their life whilst eliminating any disposal costs.<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    Repair and remanufacture rather than throwing away<\/h3>\n

    Our throw-away society is changing for the better.\u00a0 Repair and remanufacture are being much more the norm, going back to how previous generations used to live and work.\u00a0 Providing you buy good quality products in the first place, there is often the opportunity to repair, for example, broken chairs or remanufacture, for example desks, to meet new specifications.<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    If your office needs a refresh, it may not need to be entirely replaced
    \n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    If your office needs a refresh, there\u2019s no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater and start again from scratch. Repairing or cleaning ceiling tiles would work better in a circular economy than fitting an entirely new ceiling – and would be cheaper. If you want a new look and feel for your office, consider reupholstering your existing chairs and re-covering notice boards as well as buying used, rather than new, paint.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    By adopting these simple circular economy principles, SMEs can have a positive impact on the environment, save money, and be seen to be doing the right thing by their customers and employees.<\/p>\n

    Every organisation will be at a different point in their journey towards a circular economy. No matter how big or small \u2013 it\u2019s imperative we all get on board<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The idea of a circular economy, which aims to eliminate waste and encourage the reuse of resources, may sound complex but it\u2019s easy for offices to adopt and can even save your business money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":4088,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"contentshake_article_id":"","yoast_head":"\nFive easy ways for SMEs to join the circular economy - Crown Workspace UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five easy ways for SMEs to join the circular economy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The idea of a circular economy, which aims to eliminate waste and encourage the reuse of resources, may sound complex but it\u2019s easy for offices to adopt and can even save your business money.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Crown Workspace UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-04-16T08:33:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-05-18T10:30:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/Tips-to-create-a-successful-Workplace-Relocation-brief-1024x683-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"rhardie\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"rhardie\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"rhardie\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/951622e80eb672a5583fdb7f182affb9\"},\"headline\":\"Five easy ways for SMEs to join the circular economy\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-16T08:33:01+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-05-18T10:30:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\"},\"wordCount\":891,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2020\/04\/Tips-to-create-a-successful-Workplace-Relocation-brief-1024x683-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/crownworkspace.com\/uk\/knowledge-base\/five-easy-ways-for-smes-to-join-the-circular-economy\/\",\"name\":\"Five easy ways for SMEs to join the circular economy - 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