🌱 Sustainability as Circular Economy and Eco-Friendly Plant Maintenance in the Office
- eloise2118
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
For most companies, reducing their carbon footprint, switching to renewables, or managing waste are the go-to ways to lower their environmental impact. And rightly so! These measures matter, and they should absolutely be pursued.
However, those things usually happen in the background - they are not things, that people can see or experience. Of course, it is always nice to know that the company you work for or wanted to invest in prevented "x" tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by adapting their processes. But what does that actually mean? Is that a lot? How do we visualise it? For most people reading sustainability reports, those numbers do not feel tangible.
Our Expert for this article: our Business Development Manager and Sustainability Lead, Léa Gobet!
As our Sustainability Lead, Léa is deeply invested in climate action and circular economy. She pursued her Masters in Business Innovation and Sustainability at the University of St.Gallen.
What Greenery Quietly Says About Your Sustainable Commitment
Greenery offers something slightly different. It complements the actions already being taken. It is a way to make sustainability part of the day-to-day environment, and feels more real than a KPI in a PDF.
When someone walks into an office and sees that it is filled with healthy, thriving plants, it signals something - not just that there is an interest in design or employee well-being, but that taking care of the environment happens even within building interiors.
And what's more? When done right, greenery does not just look good, but opens the door to further circular economy developments.
Plants' Second Life
As depicted in the graph above, our circular economy efforts start whenever we get plants back. Once there, our greenery managers will take a look at the plants and analyse their conditions: are they in perfect condition? If yes, then they are taken to another project. If they are still in good condition, but not qualitative enough to be put in another project, they are given away to the “Brocki” - a way for us to support the local economy while giving our green companions a second life. Lastly, if the plants are dying or ill and we cannot “cure” them - we dispose of them through two of our partners: Axpo and Zirkulit. Axpo processes plant waste into biogas, fertiliser, and energy, reintegrating it into the economic cycle. Zirkulit captures the CO₂ emissions from this process in recycled mineral construction waste.
🌎 Expert Insight: Léa Gobet
Why are you the right person to talk about this subject?
I am the sustainability lead at Oxygen at Work! I also took part in the first edition of the Managing Climate Solutions Certificate alongside my Masters. With a team of 8 people, we work on improving our circular economy effort and measuring and reducing our greenhouse gases emissions.
How can businesses ensure their plant care approach is eco-friendly?
I believe the main driver of “eco-friendly” plant care approach is two fold: avoiding unnecessary waste and be mindful of materials chosen.
This starts with choosing the right species for the space, to make sure they will thrive in the given conditions. Then, to avoid plants dying and having to replace them too often, it is crucial to know how to properly take care of them.
It is also very important to source your plants from trustworthy suppliers, that follow international standards. Moreover, the products chosen to take care of the plants should be as natural and organic as possible.
Something often disregarded when talking about sustainable plant concepts is the choice of the pots. The material of the pots and how they are created can make a big difference in the overall impact of plant concepts.
What role does professional maintenance play in reducing plant waste?
Professional maintenance helps in every step mentioned in the previous question. If I take our company as an example, the whole process starts with our Design Team creating a plant concept that takes into account the layout of the office, and the light conditions. This ensures that the chosen species will stay healthy and beautiful, and fit the space.
Then, our whole approach lies in the famous phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” - as my colleagues in Greenery are professional in taking care of plants, this reduces the amount of plants that need to be changed or thrown away, compared to companies taking care of plants themselves.
Secondly, through our circular economy program, plants that come back to us healthy will be re-used in a new project. If their aesthetic appearance does not fit the standards in quality of offices, we work with plant second-hand shops ("Brockis"), where they can find a new life in someone’s home.
Lastly, when our plants get sick or have too many pests, we recycle them and turn them into biogas to be sure their value is not wasted.
Therefore, companies need to make sure they work with professionals to take care of their plants to reduce waste, and to choose companies that are dedicated to continuously improving their sustainability practices!
How does greenery support certifications like WELL or B-Corp?
Having greenery in your office can help for certifications in different ways. Certificates are often centered around employees’ health and well-being, which are supported by office greenery. Including plants in your office design helps employees feel less stressed and more productive. Biophilic designs also contribute to a pleasant work environment, which is recognised by many standards.
Moreover, most of these certificates award points for indoor air quality. Having plants in your office helps support your ventilation system by reducing the amount of CO2 in the air for example. Plants are also the most sustainable option to reach ideal humidity in your office, and replace electronic humidifiers.
With our solution to implement indoor air quality sensors and our OxygenX software, you have access to all relevant information around your indoor air quality. This solution is often rewarded with points by many real estate and sustainability certificates.
What innovative approach to sustainable greenery is your favourite?
I think my favourite is that we sometimes use tiny insects to help fight harmful pests on plants. It is the most natural and sustainable way of fighting pests, no harmful chemicals involved. And the insects are so small that they cannot bother people in the office!
