Climate change is no longer a distant reality. The impacts of extreme weather patterns, rising sea levels, and pollution are visible worldwide. The window for effective action is rapidly closing, and we, as a society, have the responsibility to act now.
There is a growing demand for both governmental and corporate climate action. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly stressed the need for urgent action to limit global warming to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels.1 Moreover, experts suggest that we have less than a decade to make substantial progress toward our climate goals if we are to avoid catastrophic consequences.
In recent years, countries have introduced and led the way in implementing vehicle registration quotas for households. Some have imposed congestion charges, requiring vehicle owners to pay a fee for driving in specific areas during certain times of the day. Meanwhile, others have adopted plate coding restrictions, permitting only cars with specific license plates to circulate in the city on designated days.
As we approach the end of the year, countries that signed the Paris Agreement, agreed to share their actions and advancements in tackling climate change with complete transparency from 2024 onwards.
Remote work, being a fast deployment solution, emerges as the most reliable option for companies to achieve immediate impact.
As a concerned citizen, I have been watching with growing alarm the impact of climate change on our planet. It's heartening to know that companies like Teleperformance are stepping forward to lead the way with our remote work model, the Teleperformance Cloud Campus (TPCC), and our environmental initiative, Citizen of the Planet (COTP).
Remote Work and Its Climate Mitigation Potential
Remote work has the potential to reduce carbon emissions significantly. Studies suggest that widespread adoption of remote work could reduce carbon emissions by up to 54%.2 This reduction is possible as employees eliminate commutes and utilize shared resources.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting remote work boom have brought increased awareness of the potential benefits of this model. This shift in behavior has opened new possibilities to bridge the gap between climate action and corporate initiatives.
Amongst the myriad of initiatives at a company’s disposal, remote work will continue to gain ground as a simple, yet tangible way to reduce GHG emissions. More and more studies continue to be published about remote work and its positive impact on the environment.
The transition to remote work will again play a key role for several organizations, as it will be seen as an initiative with a fast deployment timeline and immediate results.
How the TPCC Helps Save the Planet
Approximately 50% of Teleperformance's global workforce operates remotely. On average, a remote work position results in 55% less carbon emissions compared to a similar position in brick-and-mortar.3 That is how our award-winning and innovative remote work model TPCC helps support our client’s environmental sustainability goals.
TPCC eliminates the need for daily commutes and therefore reduces their carbon footprint, thus reducing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by transportation. It also benefits employees who now enjoy increased flexibility, as it leads to improved work-life balance and reduced stress levels.3 It also provides advantages to employers with increased insights through data analytics, as well as improved productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Like Teleperformance, organizations such as Salesforce, targeting a 50% emissions reduction by 2030, are actively decreasing their carbon footprint. Its “Decarbonizing a Work From Anywhere World” report illustrates how the company aligns “work from anywhere” with its strategic emission reduction plan to reduce.
COTP: Teleperformance's Environmental Initiative
The COTP initiative is a program that aims to minimize the company's environmental impact while promoting eco-friendly practices. COTP, we are building a sustainable business for our employees, clients, and communities. As part of this initiative, we have implemented waste management strategies, raised awareness about environmental issues amongst employees, reduced energy consumption, and committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
One example of successful environmental stewardship is our initiative to reduce consumption rates of water in all our facilities. The company's goal is to decrease water consumption by 10% per employee by 2025. We are also making headway in the commitments we made on behalf of the planet:
- 9% reduction in per-employee carbon emissions (scopes 1 and 2) from 2021 to 2022*
- 8% of 2022 energy used was from renewable sources
- -2% reduction in electricity consumption per employee from 2021 to 2022
*Scopes 1 and 2 carbon emissions that are owned or controlled by the company related to fuel, refrigerants, and electricity consumptions.
These significant projects emphasize Teleperformance's commitment to sustainability.4
As a society, there is no doubt that we must act immediately to address climate change. Teleperformance's remote work model, the TPCC, and the COTP initiative are making real strides in promoting environmental responsibility.
So, let us support and encourage companies that prioritize environmental responsibility and remote work as we all contribute to mitigating the impact of climate change.
This concludes this week’s blog. In the series’ next installment, we will explore the topic of physical jobs that are going remote, too!
Sources:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111004
- https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2304099120
- https://www.teleperformance.com/en-us/insights-list/press-releases/teleperformance-reduces-carbon-emissions-per-employee-by-nearly-50-4-years-ahead-of-schedule/
- https://www.teleperformance.com/en-us/csr/force-of-good/citizen-of-the-planet/
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