Sustainability Policy

At h2o digital, we are committed to incorporating sustainable practices into our operations to minimise our environmental impact and promote a greener future. We recognise the importance of adopting sustainable principles in the web design industry and strive to make a positive difference.

Our sustainability policy outlines our commitments and actions towards environmental responsibility.

Energy Efficiency:

  • We prioritise energy-efficient practices in our office by using energy-saving equipment and promoting responsible energy consumption.
  • We encourage our employees to power down computers and other devices when not in use to conserve energy.
  • We only travel to the office when necessary, with employees mainly opting to work from home. This reduces our travel carbon footprint.

Waste Reduction:

  • We promote a paperless work environment by minimising the use of paper and printing only when necessary.
  • We encourage digital file sharing and electronic documentation.
  • We implement recycling programs for paper, plastic, glass, and other recyclable materials in our office and hybrid working environments.

Responsible Procurement:

  • We prioritise working with suppliers and vendors who demonstrate sustainable practices and ethical sourcing of materials.
  • We aim to use eco-friendly and energy-efficient equipment and tools in our web design process.
  • We encourage the use of environmentally friendly products and services among our clients.

Website Optimisation:

  • We design and develop websites with a focus on efficient coding, optimising file sizes, and reducing server load to minimise energy consumption.
  • We encourage the use of clean and lightweight code, as well as efficient content management systems, to enhance website performance and reduce energy requirements.
  • This page, for example, is mainly black, thus reducing the power consumption of your monitor.

Travel:

  • Where possible, we hold client meetings online, reducing the need for unnecessary travel.
  • We only travel to the office when necessary, with employees mainly opting to work from home for the most part of the week. This reduces our travel carbon footprint.
  • If a client does need to meet face-to-face, then we combine this with the one day a week when we do work in the office.

Communications:

  • We do not send letters by post. Sending an email uses about 1.7 percent of the energy it takes to deliver a paper letter.
  • We no longer accept cheques as a form of payment. Payment by BACS uses much less energy than two trips in the mail.
  • Where possible, short communications with clients are made by WhatsApp. WhatsApp communication uses much less energy than sending long email chains to everybody in a ‘cc’ list.
  • We do not send large files via email. Sending an email will traverse across multiple servers to reach its destination, using lots of energy as the email is passed along the chain. Instead, we use a centralised file server, where the data is only accessed when needed.
  • Where possible, we hold client meetings online, reducing the need to unnecessary travel.
  • If a client does need to meet face-to-face, then we combine this with the one day a week when we do work in the office.

Employee Engagement and Education:

  • We foster a culture of sustainability among our employees by providing education and training on environmental issues and sustainable practices.
  • We encourage employees to contribute ideas for improving our sustainability efforts and recognise their eco-friendly initiatives.
  • We organise awareness campaigns to promote sustainability within the company and the wider community.

Continuous Improvement:

  • We regularly review and assess our sustainability performance to identify areas for improvement.
  • We strive to stay updated on the latest sustainable practices in the web design industry and incorporate them into our operations.
  • We seek feedback from clients, employees, and stakeholders to enhance our sustainability initiatives.

By implementing this sustainability policy, we aim to make a positive impact on the environment, reduce our carbon footprint, and inspire others in the web design industry to embrace sustainability practices. We are committed to continuous improvement and transparency in our sustainability efforts.

July 2023