Desk booking as part of a carbon-reducing strategy

The world is facing a serious threat: climate change

Public and private sector companies across the world are now feeling the pressure to act in reducing their carbon footprints and contribute to the goal of achieving net zero by 2050. According to the PwC CEO survey published at the World Economic Forum in Davos, more than a quarter (26%) of UK CEOs feel they are moderately or extremely exposed to the threat of climate change over the next 12 months.

Even though there is an urgent need for businesses to reduce emissions and move towards a more sustainable future, there are many companies asking how to reduce their carbon footprint in the workplace. Analysing your company’s data will help provide you with the answer.

The idea of using data-driven solutions is becoming an essential tool for the future. With it being harder for organisations to effectively manage what space they need due to a surge in hybrid working, data has become the key to taking action in reducing carbon footprint and implementing more sustainable practices. Through resource management and desk booking data, you can gain a deeper understanding of your environmental impact and identify areas for improvement. This can potentially reduce your carbon emissions.

Desk booking software as part of your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) plans

Without accurate data, you may not have a clear picture of your businesses’s environmental impact, making it impossible for you to identify areas for improvement. Since the pandemic, underutilised office space and energy price increases have been driving real estate executives to change their strategies by optimising their office spaces and reducing energy expenditure.

To support these initiatives, businesses are investing in technology, such as resource management tools and desk booking software, to achieve a return on investment (ROI).

But the biggest challenge to even acquiring accurate data is funding. Implementing energy-efficient technology, software to collect your data, or investing in renewable energy sources can require huge upfront costs. This may be a barrier for many companies. However, using data in the right way can combat these challenges by providing a long-term ROI. More importantly, the software supports an organisation on its journey to net zero by providing a tool to measure the effectiveness of your carbon reduction plans.

How can data support your carbon reduction plans?

As one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change, using the right data can allow businesses to gain valuable insights into their energy usage patterns, identify areas for improvement, and track progress over time. One element for organisations across every sector to consider is how employees now work.  

The shift in how we work has resulted in wasted resources and unnecessary carbon emissions in other areas, especially office spaces. Therefore, utilising the right management data can allow firms to fully understand their physical resources. By using data from desk booking or meeting room booking systems companies can provide a flexible and functional workplace with a variety of work settings to accommodate various work styles and individual preferences. In addition, they can better manage cost elements, such as lowering the heating on days of the week that may not be as busy. This concept has been implemented by several forward thinking companies, such as Direct Line Group.  

One of the primary benefits of using data is its ability to uncover underutilised office spaces. With the rise of remote and hybrid working, many workstations and areas within an office may go unused for extended periods. By utilising desk booking data, organisations can identify these areas and optimise their layout and occupancy allowances. This not only saves energy, but also enhances overall operational efficiency.  

Desk booking data also provide insights into employees’ work habits and preferences. This information can be used to apply flexible work arrangements that reduce commuting and transportation-related carbon emissions. By allowing employees to choose their work hours or work remotely, organisations can significantly contribute to their sustainability goals.  

Whilst reducing the size of office spaces can allow companies to cut down on their carbon footprint, there is a hidden problem. As more people work from home, the responsibility of emissions is being shifted to their households instead. The individual behaviours of staff, from energy use and travel to digital footprints and waste management, constantly change and it becomes harder to measure and control emissions. Therefore, it’s crucial for an organisation to introduce a culture of sustainability. They can do this by setting policies and providing support to help workers reduce their environmental impact while working from home. 

Data enables organisations to make informed decisions about resource allocation and investments in sustainable initiatives. By understanding usage patterns and demand, businesses can optimise their use of space, equipment, and energy.   

In addition, saving money on reduced office space and equipment can allow for greater investment into net zero initiatives, such as green leasing. Green leases are a type of lease that aims to align the interests of tenants and landlords in terms of energy efficiency, water conservation, and other environmentally friendly procedures in the building, running, and using of commercial properties. Green leases serve as a means for decarbonising real estate and opens a more collaborative effort between landlords and tenants, all in support of net zero. 

How to use the data provided by desk booking systems

Rather than considering net zero as a challenge, business leaders should think of it as an opportunity to improve how they operate, decrease long-term costs, and increase efficiency.

Despite uncertain short-term market prospects, many UK companies do plan to increase investment to reduce their carbon footprints. Almost half of business leaders (49%), surveyed by the British Property Federation (BPF), plan to accelerate delivery of their net zero programmes over the next 12months.

Data, such as desk booking trends, occupancy, and desk usage, can be used to inform and drive business decisions to capitalise on climate action. However, achieving this will require a full-scale review of an organisation’s internal strategy, targeting exactly where they can reduce emissions and eliminate waste. With the application of data management and desk booking systems, companies can use this data to align with their business and net zero objectives, allowing them to better understand their environmental impact and implement ways to reduce this impact.

Interested in discovering how desk booking systems can support your carbon reduction plans? Register for a free, no- obligation, customised demonstration of Matrix Booking today.