How lock down pushed forward our carbon reduction plans

As an ethical business one of our aims is to minimise impact on the planet but putting all those practices into place are not always straightforward. We adopted a paperless office some time ago, but that didn’t stop the office being full of paper, it just meant we stored everything on computer rather than in filing cabinets.

We printed client valuation packs and reports on reams and reams of paper to be posted around the UK. We travelled the length and breadth of the country to meet with clients and for business meetings.

I became the group’s Carbon Literacy Trainer in 2018 and we became the first Financial Services business to become accredited, now having achieved Silver Accreditation. The Carbon Literacy Project encourages businesses to provide carbon footprint training to staff and to create a plan of how both staff and the business can reduce their impact.

As such we had been working on some changes, but the pandemic really pushed this forward. As our office was closed and we all moved to home working, we had to continue to provide the valuations, ongoing service and new advice to clients as well as retaining confidentiality within an at-home environment. The inability to print did initially present some challenges, however we fully engaged with the technology we already had in place.

Client Meetings

For client meetings pre-pandemic - whether in Manchester, offices elsewhere or a client’s home - we always preferred to use Public Transport (cycling and walking wasn’t an option here, although many clients did cycle to our Manchester office). We only used a car if the other options were deemed to be unsuitable. Even so, within Castlefield the most carbon intensive side of our operations came from travel and overnight stays.

Almost all of us have used video meetings to catch up with families and friends during the pandemic. Why phone someone now when you can have a video catch up? 

As we were unable to meet clients during the pandemic, we enhanced the integrated technology we were already using, in order to conduct online video meetings. We wanted to ensure that our clients’ personal information remained secure and also to meet our regulatory responsibilities under the Financial Conduct Authority.

The feedback from some clients was that it proved to be a more efficient use of their time, and others who were used to phone meetings found the ability to be able to see their adviser helped greatly. We hope to continue to use video meetings where possible in 2022 and beyond.

Printing

Printed correspondence clocks up a carbon footprint in four ways: the paper production, printing, postage and decomposition. This is a much higher carbon footprint than a digital report or valuation. Our clients now receive valuations and reports via secure online systems.

Our online portal can also provide up to date valuations, as well as the ability to send secure messages and documents to advisers, on top of the secure documents. These systems are now fully integrated into our businesses, reducing our use of paper hugely.

Did you know? Annually, 12.5 million tonnes of paper are used in the UK, with roughly two thirds recycled. Within the UK, the average household is said to dispose of six trees’ worth of paper per year. 

What have the co-owner team done 

Since the early days of the pandemic, we have taken things further.  We have moved permanently to Hybrid Working, where co-owners only go into the office when needed and work for the rest of the time from home. We now have fewer commutes into the Manchester office, reducing our carbon footprint as a group further. We have got used to working paperless at home.  Our internal meetings have moved online rather than in the Manchester Office and we plan to continue for this to be the case.  

We are a Carbon Literacy Organisation and looking at our Net Zero Plans 

As well as our Carbon Literacy work we are also looking at the following as part of our Net Zero ambition: 

• Reducing our energy, water and transport costs 
• Reducing our waste and how we can become as close to zero waste as possible
• Our supply chain’s part in meeting the new targets 
• Reviewing our processes to see how digital ways of working can reduce our impact, through less paper, printing, ink, transport etc.
• Retaining our Carbon Literacy status by continuing to train both new and refresh existing staff on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

If you are not already a client and are interested in working with a business that cares so much for the planet then please contact us.

If you are already a client and are not already signed up to one of our online systems or are signed up but need some help using the system, you can request this by emailing clientlogin@castlefield.com.

Written by Helen Tandy