Paperless office solutions

In our professional consulting working with small businesses looking for solutions to building a sustainable business, one of the sustainable concepts that we explore with clients is moving to a paperless office.  The problems we run into in executing a paperless office is document management and retrieval.

 How does your company manage the influx of emails, reports, and information from social media sites: Linked In and Twitter? Did you know that approximately 90% of electronic content coming into an organization is unstructured data  and about 80% of that is unmanaged.

 With small business resources limited, what’s a company to do?  Well, considering that about 30% of a worker’s time is spent searching for a document or recreating it, as professional consultants, we suggest document management software.  It reduces expenses and aids in productivity.

 Visual Vault by WayPoint Technologies is a web based document system that is ideal for all your compliance, workflow, document management, online forms, and portal delivery needs. In addition, it offers detailed history tracking, audit reporting, version control, and scanning/capture capabilities.  

Building a sustainable business and going paperless doesn’t have to be hard.  In fact, some of the benefits you can expect include:

• increase productivity 
• eliminate storage space
• reduce expenses
• create the ability to work remotely
• enhance customer service
• increased security
• better disaster recovery protection
• reduces your environmental impact
• improve your competitiveness in the industry

Incorporating document management software like Visual Vault is a great way to bring eco awareness to your organization, build on your sustainability plan, and improve productivity. 

via blog.taigacompany.com

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

What are the Green CSR Trends for 2010?

For many companies, it is that time of year when business plans are receiving their final polish for the coming year.  Companies, large and small, are laying out budgets, strategies and work plans that they feel will help their businesses prosper in 2010.  As a sustainability consultant, I can’t help but ask, How does sustainability factor into this annual planning process?  What can we expect to see in 2010?

 Reflecting on 2009, a report from  Siemens and McGraw-Hill Construction indicates that even during the worst recession in 60 years, corporations across the U.S. continued to accelerate sustainability efforts and increase efficiencies as part of their overall business plans.  With that in mind, we expect business sustainability programs to extend well into 2010.  Following are three of the business sustainability trends we expect to continue into the New Year:

 Leadership
Business leaders are presented with the unique opportunity to increase profitability through expanded eco awareness and a proactive response to changing market expectations.    Successful leaders will continue to refine and improve upon sustainable business strategies as well as improve internal and external communication.

 Supply Chain
Sustainable supply chain will continue to be a focus as practitioners continue to couple supply chain best practices with business sustainability strategies.   Gains will be applied via improved consistency and reliability of supply marked in areas regarding sustainable material selection and supplier manufacturing processes as part of supplier selection criteria. Implementation of key supplier performance metrics to ensure continuous alignment with sustainability targets will be established and implemented across industries.

 CSR Reporting
With the potential implications of pending legislation weighing heavily on many companies, business sustainability is receiving top increasing recognition and attention.  Investors and other stakeholders are encouraging companies to report publicly on the financial implications to their business.  Companies will be increasingly aware of the need to address environmental issues.  They will be under pressure, not just from governments and shareholders but from civic-minded employees to authentically and transparently report on corporate sustainability plans. 

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Telecommuting: help your Business, help the Environment

Sustainable businesses looking to cut cost and also integrate sustainability concepts in business operations are looking to telecommuting to do the trick.  Telecommuting is working from a remote location (generally ones home workstation) using computers and telephones rather than commuting via automobile or other mode of transportation to and from an employer’s work site to perform equivalent work. 

 In my professional consulting with small businesses, I have shared many environmental benefits to telecommuting:
•    Conserving Energy
•    Preserving the Environment
•    Improving Worker and Public Safety
•    Reduced commuter traffic  which also reduces toxic gases and dust particles spewed into our atmosphere as well as  chemicals washed into our waterways, wells, and rivers

Did you know that if

 Aside from the environmental benefit, as a small business resource, telecommuting offers:
•    Attraction and retention of highly qualified staff
•     Reduced sick leave and absenteeism
•    Greater flexibility for disabled or impaired workers
•     Decreased demand for, and cost of, work space or equipment at the office
•     Uninterrupted public or customer service:  Telecommuters can continue to provide vital services or work on projects during inclement weather and even during natural disasters
•     Reduced employee and family stress due to less commuting — Telecommuters can reduce commute time to accommodate family needs

  In our sustainability consulting we have recommend resources to help businesses get started in their telecommuting programs. 

 Telework Coalition:  A network of telecommuters, employers and government entities that support telecommuters through education, certification, and networking opportunities.

 Commuter Choice: A nationwide partnership designed to help employers create customized solutions to their employee’s commuting challenges.

 Telework Advisory Group of WorldatWork:  WorldatWork  is an association of human resource professionals from FORTUNE 500 and other leading organizations worldwide focused on attracting, motivating and retaining employees.

 One final note, before beginning a telecommuting program, leaders must “market” it to supervisors and staff.  Supervisors need to understand the potential productivity, morale and sustainable business gains, while workers need assurance that managers are supportive of their e-commuting.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily