How companies can make their workplace more sustainable

Sustainability in the Workplace: key takeaways

• Sustainability in the office comes from using energy and materials responsibly, creating healthy working conditions, and designing spaces that match what employees actually need.
• Simple actions you can implement immediately such as switching off devices, printing on both sides, or choosing video calls instead of short trips reduce consumption right away.
• Buildings account for the largest share of energy use. Every hour without heating, cooling, or lighting lowers resource demand.
• Ergonomic workstations, good air quality, and zones designed according to real needs reduce strain on employees and improve their ability to work.
• Desk sharing reduces resource use because it prevents unused space from being maintained and frees up areas that can be turned into functional work zones.
• Sustainable space planning relies on accurate usage data so that the number and types of workspaces fit actual demand.

What makes a workplace sustainable?

A sustainable workplace is built on three pillars: using resources responsibly, creating healthy working conditions, and ensuring processes that make economic sense.

In practice, this means using energy and materials carefully, shaping everyday work in a way that supports employee health, and establishing structures in the company that help people work effectively.

Ecological Dimension

The ecological dimension of workplace sustainability includes everything that influences resource consumption in the office:

• electricity for lighting and IT
• heating and cooling
• paper use
• waste
• commuting and mobility

Buildings in Germany are among the largest energy users and account for roughly 35% to 40% of final energy consumption. Every improvement, whether more efficient lighting, reduced paper use, or better mobility planning, has a direct impact.

Social Dimension

The focus here is on how the workplace and its surrounding environment affect employee health. A large share of absences is caused by musculoskeletal issues and mental stress.

Ergonomic furniture, enough movement throughout the day, good air quality, and a calm working environment help maintain and improve performance. Sustainability also means creating a workplace that supports employees in a lasting and meaningful way.

Economic Dimension

This dimension relates to the economic efficiency of daily work. Electricity costs, material consumption, device lifespan, and the use of office space all have a direct impact on the budget.

At the same time, new EU requirements such as the CSRD (Corporate sustainability reporting)  demand more comprehensive sustainability reporting. Measures that save resources and establish clear processes support companies on both the operational and regulatory level.

How can energy and resource use in the office be reduced?

Most energy and resource consumption in the office comes from heating, cooling, lighting, IT equipment, and material use. With a few technical adjustments and clear behavioural guidelines, these levels can be reduced significantly.

Adjust building technology

• Adjust heating and cooling temperatures: Lowering the room temperature by one degree in winter reduces heating demand by about six percent. Raising the cooling temperature by one degree in summer leads to similar savings.
•  Ventilate rooms properly: Short, complete air exchanges lower carbon dioxide levels and prevent unnecessary heat or cold loss. Tilted windows keep rooms open for long periods and significantly increase energy use.
• Improve lighting: Replacing older bulbs with LEDs noticeably reduces electricity consumption. Motion sensors prevent lights from staying on in unused rooms, and zone based lighting prevents entire floors from being lit when only a few areas are used.

Set clear operating guidelines:

•  Energy settings for workstations: Terminals, laptops and monitors should switch to energy saving mode after defined periods and power down at the end of the working day.
•  Reduce the number of devices: One large multifunction printer uses less energy than several small machines spread across different offices.
•  Check additional devices: Portable heaters, personal fridges or desk fans increase consumption disproportionately. Companies should define which extra devices are allowed and which are not.

Adjust behaviour in the office:

• Switch devices off completely: Computers, monitors and peripherals should be turned off at the end of the working day. High standby consumption mainly comes from devices running overnight or through the weekend.
• Keep doors closed: When heating or cooling is in use, energy demand rises sharply if warm or cold air escapes. Closed doors reduce this loss.
• Use office materials carefully: Supplies should only be taken when needed. A shared supply station prevents stockpiling in different rooms and reduces waste.

Reduce resource consumption:

• Lower paper usage: Digital workflows replace printed documents. When printing is necessary, double sided and black and white settings should be the default.
• Use recycled paper: Recycled paper with environmental certification saves up to seventy eight percent water and about sixty eight percent energy compared to fresh fibre paper.
• Centralise consumables: Storing supplies in one place prevents duplicate orders and gives a clear picture of actual usage.

How do I set up my office in a sustainable way?

A sustainable office setup follows three core principles: materials that require few resources and do not pollute indoor air, furniture that can be used and repaired for many years, and workstations that minimise physical strain. In addition, spaces should be arranged and used in a way that reflects what employees actually need.

Choose materials that are gentle on the environment and indoor air:

When it comes to furniture and equipment, the choice of materials affects both the environmental footprint of production and the air quality in the workspace.

• Wood with FSC or PEFC certification: This confirms that the wood comes from responsibly managed forests.
• Furniture with tested emissions: Products carrying environmental labels such as the Blue Angel release fewer volatile substances into the air.
• Modular furniture: Individual parts such as tabletops, wheels or fittings can be replaced without having to dispose of the entire piece

Choose furniture that will last:

Durable furniture reduces resource use because replacements are needed less often.

• Solid construction: Sturdy table frames, hard wearing surfaces and reliable mechanisms mean fewer repairs.
• Available spare parts: Items such as gas lifts, armrests or caster wheels should be easy to order separately.
• Refurbished furniture: Restored pieces can offer the same functionality while using far fewer materials.

Set up workstations ergonomically:

An ergonomic layout reduces back, neck and shoulder strain and therefore helps prevent common causes of absences.

• Height adjustable desks: Switching between sitting and standing eases the load on the spine.
• Adjustable chairs: Seat height, seat depth, backrest and armrests should all be adjustable.
• Position screens correctly: The top edge of the monitor should be roughly at eye level and glare from windows or lamps should be avoided.

Set up spaces according to actual needs:

In many companies, the increase in home office days means that parts of the office remain empty at times and overall occupancy drops. Instead of maintaining permanently assigned desks, this creates an opportunity to rethink how the entire space is used.

• Share workstations: When employees are not on site every day, fewer individual desks are needed.
• Define zones: Quiet areas for focused work, areas for collaboration and calls, break areas and additional zones for movement and balance.
• Use booking software: This makes it clear when specific office resources are in use. Heating, cooling, ventilation, cleaning and maintenance can be managed more efficiently.

Tip: With a booking tool, your employees can reserve a desk, a meeting room or a specific zone for their team day. This gives everyone fair access to all shared resources.

Improve indoor climate and lighting:

• Add plants: They reduce noise and improve the perceived air quality.
• Monitor carbon dioxide levels: A simple measuring device shows when it is time to ventilate.
• Create even lighting: Glare free, daylight like lighting reduces eye strain and fatigue.

How can employees make their commute and business trips more sustainable?

Sustainable mobility at work means avoiding unnecessary journeys and choosing transport options that cause fewer emissions per kilometre when travel is required. The biggest impact comes from the choice of transport and the decision whether a meeting truly requires travel in the first place.

Plan commutes in a smarter way:

The daily commute is the biggest source of mobility related emissions in many organisations. The difference between transport options is significant.

• Use a bike for short distances: For short routes in urban areas, a bike is often the fastest option. It produces no direct emissions and helps ease traffic.
• Take public transport when possible: Buses and trains cause far fewer emissions per kilometre than a car. Many employees benefit from a subsidy for the Deutschlandticket because it makes switching to public transport easier.
• Share rides: When several colleagues live in the same area, sharing one car reduces the number of daily trips.

Review business trips and appointments:

• Use digital meetings: If a meeting does not require direct personal interaction, a video call is sufficient.
• Combine several appointments: For on site visits, check whether additional client meetings or supplier visits can be arranged on the same day.
• Assess distances carefully: Short business trips can often be done on foot or by bike as long as no materials need to be transported.

Align company offerings:

Some of the mobility measures mentioned only work when the company provides the right conditions.

• Bike parking facilities: Covered parking and charging options for e bikes make switching to a bike much easier.
• Changing rooms and storage: Space for helmets, wet clothing, backpacks, shoes and a change of clothes supports employees who cycle or walk.
• Company bikes and JobRad style models: A good option for employees who do not want to use their own bike or who travel longer distances.

How can office nutrition be made more environmentally friendly?

Sustainable eating in the workplace depends on the choice of food, the handling of packaging and the way communal catering is organised. The biggest impact comes from deciding which meals are offered or brought to the office.

Benefits of communal catering:

A shared catering service through a canteen makes affordable meals possible in a way that individuals could not achieve on their own.

Lower food waste:

• Caterers and canteens can plan portion sizes because they know guest numbers and eating habits.
• Overproduction can be reduced and leftovers can be redistributed.
• Waste does not accumulate at many individual desks but in one place where it can be monitored and reduced.

More control over meal composition:

• Companies can increase the share of plant based dishes or make vegetarian options the standard.
• Suppliers can be chosen deliberately with criteria such as regional, seasonal or certified sourcing.
• The quality of ingredients can be defined consistently.

Fewer packaging materials:

• Communal catering avoids the many single use packages that typically come with individual take away meals.
• Large containers and reusable boxes replace disposable items.
• Drinks can be provided through water dispensers or carafes.

Lower cost per portion:

• Bulk quantities are cheaper than many single portions.
• Plant based dishes are generally less expensive than meat based meals.
• Lower waste volumes reduce disposal costs.

Better everyday nutrition:

• Well planned menus support a more balanced diet.
• Set meal times and a shared place to eat strengthen a sense of community and make breaks more restorative.
• Employees need to shop less spontaneously, which usually leads to more sustainable choices.

What does sustainable use of office space look like?

A key part of sustainability comes from understanding how much office space is actually needed. Every square metre has to be heated, cooled, lit and cleaned, whether it is in use or standing empty.

In many companies, hybrid work means that a large share of desks remain unused on several days of the week. This creates vacant space that leads directly to unnecessary resource consumption.

Desk sharing reduces unused space:

When employees are not in the office every day, fewer permanent individual desks are needed. With desk sharing, the number of workstations is aligned with actual attendance. This lowers the amount of space that is maintained but not used.

The benefit is lower consumption per square metre:

• less demand for heating and cooling
• lower electricity use for lighting
• reduced cleaning effort
• fewer pieces of furniture and equipment that need to be provided

The space that becomes available when unused workstations are removed can be put to new use. You can turn it into rooms and zones that genuinely support the way your employees work.

• Zones for focused work with acoustic shielding
• Areas for collaboration and teamwork that can be adjusted freely
• Phone booths and quiet rooms that are often missing in open offices
• Social and break areas that improve the overall office experience
• Spaces for exercise and options that support mental balance and play

These rooms and zones can be created and booked in the PULT booking software. Your employees can choose the place, room or zone that fits their task on any given day.

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