What will happen if all the companies in this world decide to adopt the remote work model for the long term? What does that mean for corporate carbon footprint? 

This a critical issue that businesses may need to confront as they adjust their business models in the face of the pandemic, though sustainability experts fear that not all will do so. 

Remote work is one of the finest long-term options for sustainability not just for humans, but for Mother Earth as well. 

Employees can benefit from the work-from-home model in a variety of ways – such as increased productivity, job satisfaction, and huge savings on time, energy, and money.  

Employers too can benefit because they no longer have to invest in office space and can now save on utilities and supplies.  

What are some ways for businesses to strengthen sustainability and take remote work to the next level?  Follow along as we disclose the environmental implications of remote work so you can make the best decisions for long-term sustainability for everyone. 

Less Driving Means Less Emission 

Transportation is the major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in many countries, with personal automobiles accounting for more than half of the total. Many workers typically drive to work alone, causing significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.  

To reduce the greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere, a variety of other factors come into play, such as whether people use public or private transportation, how far they travel, and their usage of commercial and residential electricity.  For example, remote work may reduce greenhouse gas emissions as commuting by car in going to work is no longer needed. On the other hand, if the employee works in an area that requires electricity from non-renewable energy sources, such as coal-fuelled power plants, these benefits could be neutralised. 

Weigh the benefits of working from home. People who work from home save 3.6 million tons of greenhouse gases per year in some countries, and the figure is growing. Working from home for as little as one to two days a week can lower the number of cars on the road, resulting in less traffic congestion and wear and tear on the roads, as well as a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. For example: if 3.9 million people work from home at least half the time, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of eliminating 600,000 cars from the road for an entire year! 

It may sound bizarre to say, but the COVID-19 pandemic is a “blessing in disguise.” The remarkable reduction in air pollution is attributable to a significant decrease in the number of cars on the road, as well as a significant decrease in airline flights. Undoubtedly, transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet.  

Save energy and allow sunlight in your room 

Working from home or outside the office saves a great amount of energy. After transportation, electricity is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Employees use roughly about less than half of the energy required by working from home compared to working from the office, resulting in savings of approximately 2,100 kwh/year per employee who works from home just one day per week. Using our home utilities for the very small quantity of energy we need during the day gives us greater control over the energy source for our workday. 

Remote Work Improves Air Quality 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution kills approximately seven million people worldwide every year. When the world came to a halt in April 2020, large cities saw up to a 95% reduction in rush-hour congestion, as well as widespread reductions in air pollution from road traffic. Simply put, fewer people travelling to work means less air pollution. 

Remote Work to the Rescue 

Remote work has the potential to transform the lives of our employees, businesses, and communities. Let’s look into how this isn’t just a pipe dream, but is actually happening. Here are four ways remote work benefits our environment just by working from home. 

1. When workers are geographically dispersed, positive effects occur in communities, industry innovation, and the global economy

You’ve probably read evidence that remote workers are more productive and efficient than their office counterparts. This is fantastic news for a department’s quarterly profit and loss statement, but what does it mean on a larger scale? Consider this, in the virtual world, businesses are as adaptive and long-lasting as their personnel. Because of job mobility, the expansion of businesses, industries, and employment rates have also become decentralised.  

We can relieve the effects of urbanisation by relocating the economic impact of jobs and education to areas where diversification is most needed. Companies can precisely control costs and scaling, allowing them to survive in practically any community or financial situation. Instead of relocating someone’s life in order to locate opportunity, consider relocating opportunities in order to support life. 

2. Remote work creates less waste

Remote work results in lower carbon footprints. When we think about the environmental impact of remote work regulations, we normally think of commutes and the 3.2 metric tons of carbon emissions, and 313 gallons of fuel saved per remote worker every year. But that’s just the start! Other climatic concerns, such as water shortages, food production, energy consumption, and access to healthcare, can also be addressed by our ability to mobilise our workforces. Consider an office that lacks paper clips, vending machines, and file folders. Basically, that is what a virtual job is! The use of cloud technologies eliminates the majority of physical waste produced in offices. Even better, location-independent lives spend more time at home, resulting in less paper, plastic, mass-produced food, rapid fashion, fossil fuels, and energy use. The positive environmental impact on earth would be astonishing if more firms implemented workplace independence and gain B Corp certification globally. 

3. Remote work offers equal opportunity

No doubt. Physical supervisory methods are limited in distributed teams, therefore remote-friendly companies often use results-based tracking models to measure the performance of their workers. It turns out that when managers are focused on the end results, suddenly the who, when, and where don’t matter as much. Consequently, traditional discriminatory factors like race, age, gender, and family status are reduced or eliminated in virtual workplaces.  

4. Flexible workforces are safer emotionally, socially, physically, and mentally

Remote worker isolation has a negative reputation, yet it can be readily fixed by engaging with a remote work specialist to review and remedy a discriminating architecture. Unfortunately, that single flaw has diverted our attention away from the hundreds of behavioural health advantages that flexibility provides. Less commuting to the office results in fewer sick days, lower stress levels, stronger family dynamics, healthier meals, lower mental health triggers, more community interaction, stronger job satisfaction, and the list goes on.  

Healthier workers create healthier communities. With higher employment rates and flexible schedules, local residents have more time and resources to contribute to local causes like ecotourism, public education, and business development. In short, remote workers might be less connected to their professional network but they are active participants in strengthening the well-being of neighbourhoods and families.  

Final words…

As you can see, the advantages of remote work go far beyond casual attire. Indeed, converting physical occupations to virtual roles can help to achieve at least 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. If our society is to fully reap the benefits of remote work, businesses must be ready and willing to acknowledge that the future of work has arrived and build their organisations to support the virtual workforce.