Stick to basics not gestures, warns Envirowise

London - Envirowise is warning companies to focus on the basics of reducing their environmental impact rather than on more image-centred 'green' activities, such as switching car fleets to hybrid or low-carbon vehicles or offsetting carbon emissions. Simple low and no-cost measures can signiicantly improve environmental performance and profitability and should not be ignored, the agency insists.

“Too many companies are ignoring the basics and forming their environmental policies on ‘greenspin’ – initiatives that will make them look good publicly but, in isolation, won’t help the company achieve the greatest possible impact on their day-to-day green performance,” said Mary Leonard, Envirowise marketing director.

Many companies are now planning for 2009 and should be considering ways of boosting their environmental performance, as well as keeping operational costs down in the face of global economic uncertainty, a weakening currency and  the increasing costs of utilities and materials, according to Leonard.

"While it is extremely important for businesses to take steps and show how committed they are to improving environmental performance, this need not be linked to making grand gestures," said Leonard. "By simply reviewing how the use of resources can be reduced, and where waste can be reused and recycled, both financial and environmental benefits can be achieved.”