Did you know that in 2023 we, at Onguard, sent 6.241 empty cans for recycling? Sustainability is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and a difference comes with a few small steps every day. This is why we are excited to join Visma’s Sustainability Month this May, as an opportunity to reflect and record our specific actions for a more sustainable future.
Running through the whole of May, the idea of Visma Sustainability Month is not only to review our corporate actions but also to spark discussion and inspire others. From the environmental footprint to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the options to make a difference are numerous! Let’s take a look at some of the initiatives Visma and Onguard already executed:
1. Warm Sweater Day: In the heart of winter, on February 2nd, we decided to lower the heating thermostat in our Amsterdam office by 1°C. Like warriors in their armour, employees showed up to the Amsterdam office with their warm sweaters on. The result? A fun workday that boosted Onguardians’ sense of unity while benefiting the environment. Win-win!
2. Digital Cleanup Day: The internet accounts for an estimated 900 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. So, on March 15th, employees were encouraged to block off 30 minutes in their calendars to declutter their digital spaces. The goal was for each Visma employee to delete 5GB of unnecessary data, resulting in a significant reduction of CO2 emissions.
Read also: Sustainable credit management: Working together for the future
3. Car Diet Week: Have you ever considered the total emissions resulting from 14.500 employees moving to and back from work every day? Visma’s car emissions in 2022 amounted to 940 tonnes of CO2 (or about 6% of the organisation’s total emissions).
So, the International Car-Free Day on 22 September was a perfect opportunity for Visma to join the global fight for emissions reduction. For one whole week, colleagues in Oslo and Helsinki, as well as Onguard employees in Amsterdam, found alternative ways to transit to and from the office. The menu had everything: carpooling, cycling, walking, public transport, and more. Impressive how much difference small actions can make, isn’t it?
| In numbers: Sustainability goals at Visma -Emissions reduction goal: Net Zero by 2040 -Gender balance goal: 50% gender balance in new hires per year and 40% in Visma Group overall -Anti-corruption: 80% of employees completing the annual anti-corruption e-learning program. |
Sustainability in fintech 2024: Spotlight on Visma Sustainability Month
So, following up on our sustainability path, the agenda for May includes initiatives and information sharing in the areas of:
- Office emissions: This includes electricity, heating, waste reduction, and more. In 2023, Visma companies accounted for a total of 16,995 tonnes, or 1.45 tonnes per employee in CO2. (Check out the Visma Sustainability Report 2023.)
- Business travel & commuting: This is about the environmental footprint resulting from our employees going to and back from the office. During May, a cycle-to-work week will encourage employees to take their bikes to transit.
- Diversity & Inclusion: This area is about everyone feeling themselves when at work, regardless of sexual orientation, gender diversity, age, experiences, nationality, and abilities. (Fun fact: Did you know that people representing more than 15 different cultures are currently working in the Onguard Amsterdam office alone?)
- Sustainable hardware & software: This is about deleting unnecessary files, thus reducing the energy associated with data storage.
Environmental sustainability at Onguard: A list of our latest actions
On the occasion of Visma Sustainability Month, May has been full of exciting initiatives at Onguard. Here are 3 initiatives we took during May:
1. Sustainability Walk and Clean-up Day:
When it comes to sustainability, we have to “walk the talk”. So, this is exactly what we did. On a sunny Monday in May, during the regular lunchtime, employees working at the office that day grabbed their litter pickers and embarked on a cleaning mission around the office.
The result? It took 30 minutes for 20 people to collect a total of 18 bags of litter.
In addition, cigarette butts were by far the top collected item.
2. Sustainability in fintech? Track of personal climate impact:
Big change comes with small steps. This is why, on the occasion of Visma Sustainability Month, we joined numerous colleagues across other Visma brands in measuring our personal environmental footprint.
Specifically, for one whole week in May, we were encouraged to log our daily sustainability actions in an online space. Depending on the action, there were the respective CO2 emission savings. Then, at the end of the week, the Visma brand with the most CO2 savings won. Eventually, Onguard made it to the 23rd place.
3. Cycling to work:
During Cycle-to-Work week, some of us left our car keys aside and took our bikes to work!
Interested in seeing more ideas for sustainability in fintech? Check out our Sustainability page and let us know: what are YOUR specific sustainability actions?
