In 2025, our Office Management team took a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainability by forming a dedicated expert group. While we have always prioritized energy and water efficiency, waste management, and general accessibility when creating our spaces and events, we recognized the need to dive deeper into our daily operations, which are crucial for the long-term impact.
Our goal was to bridge the gap between high-level sustainability goals and the day-to-day experience of every employee and operational habits of the Office Management team.
EcoVadis Office - Toronto, Canada
A Two-Pillar Approach
To guide our improvements, we identified two essential pillars:
-
Accessibility Parameters: Ensuring our offices are broadly inclusive , including neurodivergent employees and those with physical or visual impairments.
-
Environmental Parameters: Reducing our physical footprint through smarter resource management.
We initiated the process by creating project briefs and meeting with stakeholders to audit our current progress and identify gaps. To ensure our strategy was data-driven, we analyzed results from our internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion survey, which provided valuable insights into the unique culture of each office. Recognizing that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach wouldn't work, we collaborated closely with local Office Managers to craft tailored agendas that respect the distinct needs of every location. Subsequently, we established volunteer focus groups in each office to gather feedback on our proposed solutions. These sessions also empowered employees to share firsthand observations and lived experiences regarding sustainability within their specific workspaces.
Progress and "Quick Wins"
We are proud to share several solutions that have already been implemented across our locations:
-
Inclusive Kitchens: We have rearranged glassware, mugs, and cutlery to ensure they are stored at a height that is universally accessible to all employees.
-
Enhanced Visibility: To assist those with visual impairments, light switches now feature a distinct, contrasting-colored border against the wall.
-
Supporting Parents: We have established or upgraded breastfeeding rooms, ensuring they are equipped with comfortable seating and essential hygienic supplies.
-
Safety First: All glass doors and large windows are being clearly identified with frosting or signaling strips to prevent accidental collisions.
-
Stress Relief Zones: These areas are stocked with items like fidget spinners and coloring books, providing resources to help individuals who concentrate better using alternative methods.
-
Door Mechanisms: The Mauritius office has been the first to update their door opening mechanisms to be lighter and easier to operate, enhancing universal accessibility.
EcoVadis Office - Barcelona, Spain
Looking Ahead: Ongoing Initiatives
Sustainability is an ongoing process. We are currently in the middle of implementing several long-term solutions:
-
Neurodivergent-Friendly Zones: We are designing silent areas for focused work and "low distraction" zones where seating faces walls to minimize visual interruptions. This includes adjustable lighting controls and stress-relief tools in relaxing corners of the office.
-
Ergonomics and Flow: We are working toward a minimum of 10% automatically adjustable height desks per office. Additionally, we are ensuring all doors are light and easily operable with one hand to facilitate ease of access, preferably automatic doors will be installed.
-
Acoustic Comfort: To minimize auditory distraction, we are implementing noise-reduction panels in high-frequency call areas in the offices where the problem of noise was identified.
-
Inclusive Facilities: Where feasible, we are moving toward combining accessible restrooms with gender-neutral facilities to maximize inclusivity.
-
Eco-Conscious Habits: Our upcoming awareness campaigns will feature posters focused on waste segregation and saving water, paper, and electricity. We are also prioritizing the use of decomposable ecological bags over traditional plastic.
EcoVadis Office - Ebene, Mauritius
At EcoVadis, we always strive to provide the transparency and insights needed to drive a more sustainable world. But we know that true leadership isn't just about the data we provide - it’s about walking the talk in our own daily operations and culture.
Our commitment to the future isn't a distant goal, it is a living practice. By embracing these initiatives, we prove that sustainability isn't an "all or nothing" endeavor. It is built on the foundation that small steps create big actions. It is a collective project, we know we can’t simply guess what every office needs; the best solutions come from those who live them every day.
That is why, apart from using feedback from the survey and organizing follow-up focus groups, our Office Managers maintain an open-door policy. We invite employees to share their ideas and needs directly, while the team may not be able to put every single suggestion into place, we are deeply committed to listening and exploring every possibility together.
When each of us makes intentional choices and shares our voice, those ripples extend across our global network, fueling the systemic change we want to see. Together, we aren't just measuring the standard - we are setting it.
Let’s continue to move forward, one small step at a time, toward a future we can all be proud of.
About the Author
Follow on Twitter Follow on Linkedin Visit Website More Content by EcoVadis EN
