Santia, the leading provider of consulting, auditing, training and accreditation in the risk management sector, is making the move towards paper-free communication and has already reduced carbon emissions by 21 tonnes in the last year as a result.
Santia’s paper reduction scheme is part of a wider business transformation programme designed to improve customer service and efficiency whilst also benefitting the environment.
The Welsh business, based in Nantgarw, has reduced its internal paper consumption by 52% in just six months. It has also moved its contractor accreditation schemes online, with applications and supporting evidence now being submitted electronically. With a supplier base of 22,000 the monthly paper saving resulting from this is around 230,000 sheets of A4.
These two measures combined equate to an estimated saving of 1.73 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per month and 20.76 tonnes per year.
Prior to the introduction of these measures, the business had rented off-site storage space to accommodate the archive of paper records that had accumulated over time. Consequently, any aspect of customer service that required consultation of old records was a time-consuming exercise. As part of the paper saving drive these records have been scanned electronically and the paper copies sent to confidential recycling facilities, bringing considerable benefits for both staff and clients as well as considerable savings in rental fees from eliminating the need for off-site storage.
David Birkin, Head of Quality and Corporate Social Responsibility for Santia, commented: “The paper reduction project is by no means complete but we are well on the way to becoming a paper free organisation. The advantages of these new measures include improved ease of operations for staff, a more streamlined experience for customers, costs savings for the business and a reduction in carbon emissions.
“The project is part of a wider transformation programme, in which our aim is to lead our market’s transition to sustainability and as part of this we will ensure our continued prioritisation of carbon savings and business efficiency.”