A truly sustainable workspace has to be powered with more than just green energy

In a world where the importance of protecting our planet is increasingly evident, we all recognise our part to play. But equally, it’s perhaps less associated that sustainability is more than just the source of our energy or conscious efforts to contribute to a greener world – sustainability is also the impact we have on people and our communities.

But what might this mean for workspaces?

A global study by IBM found that 74% of employees feel more fulfilled in their job when they had an opportunity to make a positive social and environmental impact, and 71% of employees believe sustainable companies were more attractive. It’s widely accepted fulfilled employees are more productive, which reaps the benefits for business performance. Start-ups and large enterprises have a better chance of attracting the best talent being based in a sustainable workspace like Department.

OUR IMPACT

In our mission to create better working environments where people and business both benefit, we place precedence on the impact we have to our members, our communities and the environment.

We power all of Department’s flexible workspaces in Manchester and Leeds with 100% green energy

1) THE ENVIRONMENT

Looking at what we are using and what we can do to either reuse, recycle, or cut down completely is a great starting point.
Department operates completely on 100% renewable energy and doesn’t rely on methods that produce greenhouse gas emissions to operate. Biproducts of energy and materials in the property & workspace sector are a huge contribution to the sector’s carbon footprint. In our efforts to decarbonise the industry, we’ve saved 77 tonnes of waste from landfill over the past 12 months! This is enough to generate 34,000kwh of energy (The average home runs on 2,300 kwh on average a year!)

Department Bonded Warehouse and Department Leeds Dock have both been sustainably refurbished and repurposed existing buildings to honour their heritage. In doing so, we’ve successfully created a modern workspace by using less raw materials which owes to a smaller carbon footprint by comparison to new build constructions, which owe to almost 40% of all global emissions.

2) OUR COMMUNITY

Events are a key part of our community interaction. We take immense pride in building an inclusive and purposeful community at Department to build lasting connections for personal and professional growth. Positive impact events support employee fulfilment. Over the year we have hosted holistic therapy sessions, HR check-ins and fitness classes at Condition gyms, located within Bonded Warehouse and Leeds Dock locations. Many of these events are hosted in collaboration with businesses in our community to offer a platform for exposure. All of these workshops and drop-ins are available for all members, including hot desk members, resident desks, suites or studio members. Placing importance on employee wellbeing builds resilience, manages stress and supports a work life balance.

Forbes reports that happier employees are as much as 20% more productive in their jobs. This demonstrates that if you take of people, business takes care of itself.

Yet wellbeing initiatives often come at a cost. Forbes reports 45% of wellbeing budget increases were being allocated to mental and emotional wellbeing programs. For small teams, start-ups and scaling enterprises, this cost can be difficult to justify when balancing overheads or navigating investment pitches.

A flexible workspace like Department, where community events are complimentary, simplifies the approach to wellbeing allowing businesses to focus on growing their business without sacrificing the wellbeing of their team.

3) OUR MEMBERS

We’re proud to have supported over 650 businesses and over 1000 members in the Northern economy outside of London across key sectors of tech, digital, media and creative.

Our award-winning Exchange accelerator at Bonded Warehouse in Manchester has welcomed a diverse mix of ambitious founders to its seventh cohort over four years. The start-ups are all seeking to scale with the support of the programme, its partners, advisor and mentor network, and a thriving community.

Exchange has supported over 450 people, sparking over 140 jobs, with members raising more than £13m in funding. Since January, three of the programme’s members have already secured over £1.3 million in funding. Alumni of the programme include PixelMax, Financielle, Sparkbox, Versori and Housr.

Maintaining momentum in sustainability efforts requires ongoing dedication and collaboration. But it’s worth every minute!

If you’re reconsidering your workspace and want to see Department’s sustainable workspaces in Manchester or Leeds, get in touch to arrange a tour.