10 Ways to Sustainability

Wanna be a lean, green, sustainable, planet-saving machine? Not sure where to start? Look no further friends. Allow us to show you the way.

Small steps

If you know anything about Giant Peach you’ll know we’re big on going green. (You’ll probably also know that we’re incredible at developing digital strategy to revolutionise your business, but more on that story later.)

On deciding to be a force for good in this world, we knew what success looked like (a sustainable digital agency helping the game-changers of this world make a difference), but we weren’t entirely sure how to make it a reality. We reached out, sought advice and started with small steps.

Sharing a common vision, The Planet Mark was the natural choice for our sustainability programme. They help us identify areas for improvement and reduce our carbon footprint. Our journey has only just begun, though we’ve already achieved so much. What we’ve done so far is easily implemented in any business and our top 10 is a great place to start…

  1. Smart stocking. In stocking up the Barn we try to keep everything ethically sourced. We love our organic, fairtrade Pukka teas and CaféDirect coffee; we use organic cleaning products (Method and Ecover); essentials like loo roll and bin bags are all recycled and we buy in bulk (super efficient) from Ethical Superstore.
  2. Power down. We always make sure we power off completely (at the wall people!), we only use lights when we really need to and we use rechargeable batteries.
  3. Paperless. Fortunately, being a digital agency, most of what we do is online. When we do need to hit print, we’re using recycled paper. For bigger jobs we use local ethical printing company Parklane Press who use waterless methods on recycled paper.
  4. Waste not, want not… Landfill makes us a bit ill so we’re on a mission to reduce the amount of waste that comes from the Barn by recycling as much as possible.
  5. Travel light. Our fleet car is a hybrid, but we’re also making a big effort this year to reduce our business travel and car share to meetings and events.
  6. Meat-free Mondays. The meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than cars, trucks, planes and ships combined, so we’re veggie at least once a week.
  7. Reuse! As a cutting-edge digital agency we covet the latest tech but we don’t waste a thing, giving our old hardware to a charity in Sri Lanka.
  8. Go Local. Helping to reduce emissions and supporting local economy means sourcing close to home. Neals Yard Remedies is just down the road from us and that’s where we get our handwash and other organic products.
  9. Ask for help! We spoke to the guys at The Planet Mark for support and certification, because we love what they do. There’s a wealth of support out there that’s right for your particular business.
  10. Spread the good word. We encourage other businesses to be a force for good through our regular BareAll events. We invite ethical thought leaders to share their experiences and answer your questions. To make sure you’re on the guest list email Corrina.