Climate Change and its Economic Impact Part 2
Making an impact at an organizational level
It is clear that global leaders are now beginning to act to reverse climate change. Legislation forcing companies to reduce their carbon emissions is imminent. However, businesses can make significant cuts in carbon emissions before legislation forces the issue.
Implementing the right technologies
According to the Stern report, worldwide support for low-carbon and high-efficiency technologies is imperative and should be increased five-fold. The Carbon Trust, an independent organization funded by the Government, has already committed $50 million to the discovery and development of low carbon technologies and businesses.
One of the key technologies businesses of all sizes can implement now in order to cut carbon emissions is document management software, or ‘paperless office’ technology. This technology, which replaces paper-based processes with electronic procedures, eliminates the printing, posting and manual filing of paper documents. Directly from a company’s accounting/Enterprise Resource Planning system and with just a few clicks of the mouse, ‘paperless office’ technology enables business documents, such as invoices and statements, to be automatically created, delivered, archived and retrieved.
By dramatically reducing the amount of paper a business uses, more trees are saved from destruction. Even when sustainable tree planting ensures a sapling is planted every time a tree is destroyed, this is not as beneficial to the environment as allowing trees to grow to full maturity. Each tree locks-in approximately one tonne of carbon during its lifetime and so by saving more trees, greater amounts of carbon are being naturally sequestered from the atmosphere.
Using less paper also has knock-on effects throughout the supply chain. For instance, carbon is emitted during the manufacture of stationery, by vans/lorries during paper transportation and by electricity whilst storing the paper. Eliminating document printing also removes carbon emissions during the printing process and during the manufacture of toner cartridges.
Paperless office’ technology not only makes good environmental sense, it also makes good business sense, forming a convincing proposition for any type of organization. Some of the key benefits include improved cash flow, cost and time savings and enhanced customer service. The secure storage of documents in an electronic archive also means that invoices, statements and debtor’s letters etc. cannot be lost or misfiled.
One such company that is reaping the benefits of document management software is M Barnwell Services Ltd, UK market leader in the distribution of sealing products. With document management systems in place for the electronic design, delivery and storage of statements, purchase orders and invoices, M Barnwell has significantly improved cash flow and enhanced company-wide efficiency. M Barnwell can now send out statements immediately at month-end and with staff freed-up to chase debt far sooner, debtor days have been reduced by five days, improving cash flow by an incredible $400,000.
