Flexible working to reduce 181,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions in India yearly by 2029.
By Varun Singh
Flexible working will help fight climate change. A study by The Regus has analysed benefits of flexible working on the environment.
There’s a new and unlikely weapon in the fight against climate change – flexible working. As co-working spaces are increasingly located outside of major city centers and business districts, lengthy and environmentally damaging commutes are becoming a thing of the past.
Globally as the growth of flexi-working explodes in areas outside of major cities, new research reveals that, by 2029, ‘outer city’ office spaces will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 1,280,000 transatlantic flights between London and New York each year. That’s 2,560,000 metric tonnes of carbon stopped from entering the atmosphere annually, just by working nearer to home.
For India, the carbon saving will see a reduction of 181,000 metric tonnes of carbon emissions per year. In polluted cities, like Delhi where pollution routinely reaches hazardous levels, we will witness a significant impact on air quality.
Suburban flexible workspaces can play a significant role in helping to decrease fossil fuel consumption, carbon emissions and other pollutants in order to reduce carbon footprint. Enduring long commute hours is environmentally damaging and is becoming a thing of the past.
By allowing people to work closer to home, a local office space will save workers an average of 9,532 hours per year in reduced commuting times, equating to a reduction of 54 metric tonnes of carbon emissions per centre, per year.
The report also revealed that those moving from flexible working at home to a co-working space will be doing their bit for the environment. That’s because it’s likely to be more energy efficient to ventilate and light a shared space than a home for one, solitary worker.
Mark Dixon, CEO for Regus’ parent company IWG, said “Commuting can be uncomfortable, unfriendly, and incredibly time-consuming. It is also a huge source of global pollution. In an age where every business and an individual have a responsibility for their environmental impact in the world, commuting into major cities is keeping them away from fulfilling their responsibility.”
“Over the next decade, we expect to open many more locations in smaller towns, cities and suburban areas. Our vision is that soon there will be a professional workspace available on every corner; ending the idea of commuting for good. This will benefit our personal health, as well as that of our planet.”
