Earth Oaths
A healthy and prosperous Word Garden HQ is a false economy, if it does not come hand-in-hand with a healthy and prosperous natural environment.
I've translated this into two ambitions.
First - I want Word Garden operations as a business entity, to have as little negative impact on the Earth as possible.
Second - I want those operations as a business entity to go one step further, and make a positive contribution to the environment.
In order to achieve these ambitions, I am committed to developing an environmental policy that I aim to evolve and refine during the lifetime of the operations of my company.
These are early days, and Word Garden HQ is small and humble - but I'd like to think the Earth Oaths are mighty and ambitious.
Eating
When we eat as a company, we eat meat-free.
Whether it's entertaining clients, nibbling while networking, or dining while on training - WGHQ staff will eat their greens with a smile!
Travelling
When we travel as a company, we travel as light as we can.
If we can make a meeting on foot or by bicycle, we will. If time is of the essence, we'll take light rail, or public transport.
If we are travelling further afield, we will do our best to avoid doing so by air unless we learn to paraglide, or befriend a giant Owl.
We're pretty small-fry right now - but if the need ever arises to fly long-haul as a company, we will always click that 'carbon-offset' button.
Energy
Word Garden HQ is a humble patch. We don't yet have our own premises, and don't choose the energy provider to the site. If the Garden ever grows up, and secures it's own neck of the woods - our power will come from 100% renewable sources.
Purchasing
When we settle on a company uniform, we will only buy it from certified B Corp labels.
Similarly, if we can find certified B Corp suppliers of stationary, tech or other business needs and services - that's exactly who we will buy from.
Waste Management
Thankfully we don't buy a huge amount of stuff. When we do, it tends to be a re-usable asset. Other than that, it's scribbling paper and pens. Paper is easy. Scrap can be cut into glue-free post-its, and after that - cut into strips for parcel nests.
Pens are a weird one, and we are open to suggestions about the best way forward with pen purchasing and re-purposing decisions.
Stewardship
We want our oath to go further than limiting our impact. The Word Garden also aims to contribute to efforts to rehabilitate our natural environment. As a company, we will look to be the change we want to see in a number of ways:
We will gift every member of staff with a refillable water bottle, and a re-usable bag (if they don't already have them) - to support a reduction in single-use plastics.
We will look to partner with and donate to charities that exist to repair and enrich our natural environment.
Our Earth Oaths are a real and serious priority for the Word Garden. As such, our environmental strategy will always find a place on meeting agendas. This time slot will act as a forum to suggest, motion and pass any future commitments as part of ongoing efforts to enhance our Earth Oaths.
We will always welcome and consider fact-based suggestions from the community, as to how we can improve our part in the stewardship of our planet and its ecology.