There are many green office supplies companies in the UK claiming to be the best, so what company do you choose for your office supplies?
If you have been searching for a dedicated green office supplies company then more than likely you have started online. Some office suppliers claim to specialise in eco product or products made from recycled materials. Others claim to have accreditation longer than your arm!
I start to shiver when I hear the word “green office supplies” as many suppliers have added words like this to their sales vocabulary tool kit without anything credible to back it up.
Some buyers wanting to go green don’t truly understand how much you can achieve working with the right suppliers. Being green isn’t just about what materials products are made from. Buyers don’t always know the ins and outs of what makes something sustainable or environmentally friendly, unless of course they have been on an environmental management training course.
Perhaps in our modern world clever marketing is making buyers think they are doing the right thing. To me, being kinder to the environment goes deeper than buying from a fancy looking website with pictures of wind turbines and recycling signs. You will have to do a little more research than that!
If you use an office supplies company that claims to sell only 100% recycled or eco friendly products together with a back up supplier for the items that aren’t available from them, you could be doubling your deliveries which would be more harmful to the environment than buying from a supplier who can offer both.
How far is the dedicated green supplier travelling to your office to deliver your goods? Are they delivered by a carrier, electric, LPG, diesel or petrol van?
These are the type of questions you need to ask your environmentally friendly supplier!
Can you use just ONE office supplies company?
Some office supplies companies are now able to offer more than just pens, paper and envelopes. Some can offer print management, office furniture, workwear, as well as file and data storage. By consolidating your supplies you would naturally reduce your administration costs and pricing structures, and would probably have a much lower carbon footprint.
