For many years, Winkler Partners has taken action to reduce the negative impact on our environment. In 2004, we set up a Green Office, to track our emissions and coordinate initiatives to reduce our electricity consumption, reduce waste and look for other ways we can increase our positive impact. We aim to be a sustainable business that looks after our colleagues, clients and community, which we believe includes the natural environment. As we have seen, the changes happening to our climate around the world are accelerating at an unsustainable pace.
To date, we have done the following:
- Reduced our energy consumption by 61% since 2004
- Installed solar panels that generate approximately 20% of our electricity needs
- Reduced our water consumption by 46% since 2005
- Collected rainwater for irrigation and flushing our toilets
- Offset the emissions generated by our international travel which account for over 50% of our total emissions
- Reduced waste by 12% between 2018 and 2019 2018-2019
- Reduced paper cup waste by 27% between 2018 and 2019
- Reduced paper use by 11% between 2014 and 2018
- Planted 3,555 trees, the carbon capture equivalent to our 2018 carbon footprint
- Joined 1% for the Planet, donating 3% of our revenue each year to environmental groups
- Joined over 500 B Corps around the world in committing to net zero emissions by 2030
Together with 75 other businesses from Taiwan, we’re announcing a climate emergency, to signal to our colleagues, clients and community stakeholders that we cannot wait. The planet cannot wait. It is imperative that businesses take the lead where governments have failed. Over the coming months, we plan to do the following:
- Purchase clean energy credits, guaranteeing that 100% of our energy is generated from renewable sources
- Explore meaningful ways to reduce our emissions even further
- Reach net zero emissions by 2020, 30 years before the Paris Agreement deadline
- Explore ways to meaningfully offset our historical emissions starting in 2002, when the firm was founded
While we are only one business, we encourage others anywhere to join similar movements where you are. In Taiwan, you can learn more about announcing a climate emergency here. You can also see what actions each business is taking to mitigate their impact on the environment.