As Dublin Climate Action Week takes place this week, we as individuals can take this opportunity to take stock of how we can better our attitudes and behaviours in our everyday lives to minimise our impact on the environment.

As the average person spends one-third of their life at work, companies as a collective can make a significant impact in reducing their carbon footprint.

At Coopman, we are proud to be B-Corp certified, meaning we meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact, and are committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement. How did we achieve this recognition? Below are just some of the steps that we have taken to make our company one built on sustainability.

Reusable Water Bottles:

Every new starter in Coopman receives a reusable Coopman-branded Narcissips water bottle to welcome them to the office and how we operate. According to the Narcissips Impact Calculator, as a team of 10, this simple act alone reduces 218.14kg of our company’s yearly carbon footprint, and 52kg of plastic bottle waste per year. Moreover, when we place an individual in a new role, we send them a Narcissips bottle to say congratulations and to help others to be more environmentally-friendly.

Paperless office:

Since its inception, Coopman has been a paperless office. Our software systems and MS Suite allows us to conduct all business digitally, be it with our suppliers, clients, candidates or colleagues. The nature of collaborative software is good for business too – a report conducted by McKinsey found that these technologies can improve employee productivity by up to 25%.

Employee Benefits through Environmental Initiatives:

At Coopman, we offer the Bike to Work scheme and the Tax Saver Scheme for those who commute to work. The Bike to Work scheme enables an employer to help their employee purchase a brand new bike and safety equipment worth up to €1,250 for a regular bike, and up to €1,500 for an electric bike. The scheme is free for employers to avail of and offers employer PRSI savings on every application.

The Tax Saver Scheme enables employees to save between 28.5% and 52% off a regular fare, and your company will also save 10.75% on Employer PRSI when you make this deduction from salary payments. By eliminating one car and taking public transportation instead of driving, a saving of 30% of carbon dioxide emissions can be realized.

Environmentally friendly, business friendly:

At the end of the day, cost considerations come into every faucet of the overall business strategy, and stakeholders may be wary of costs associated with change. However, when it comes to sustainability, it makes financial sense; according to Harvard Business Review, it is estimated that companies experience an average internal rate of return of 27% to 80% on their low carbon investments. Moreover, these practices can help companies to attract and retain top talent, as shown in IBM’s 2021 survey which found that 71% of employees and employment seekers want to work for environmentally sustainable companies.

If you’re interested in learning more about our road to B-Corp Certification, other environmental initiatives we have in place, or any other related information, please get in touch with Andrew Murphy, Director & Co-Founder.