Since The Marketing Pod launched in 2013, it’s seen so many exciting changes – like growing from a team of two founders into a bustling agency with five centres of excellence. One thing that has never changed (aside from our love of cake) is our environmentally friendly ethos. Green isn’t just a colour you’ll see in our logo or on our website – it’s something we’re passionate about.
So, what have we done to be more earth friendly so far?
The Marketing Pod has worked to curb its own environmental impacts. We’ve been doing what we can as a business to help protect the planet and cut carbon emissions - starting with simple things like energy efficiency and hybrid working, meaning all Podsters can get involved.
Team Green and SME Climate Change Hub
A few years ago, we formed the Pod’s very own Team Green, assigning members of staff to be responsible for different actions on our environmental quest. For example, we have one person in charge of monitoring our electricity consumption and another on the constant lookout for green volunteering options the Pod can take part in.
We are also members of the SME Climate Hub. This global initiative empowers small to medium sized businesses to take climate action and build resilience. It’s a great initiative to be part of, and an important one – businesses with under 500 employers represent 90% of business globally. Supporting each other to commit to halving emissions by 2030 and becoming net zero by 2050 will mean all our small changes add up to a huge difference for the planet.
Workplace initiatives
Pod HQ is surrounded by green fields and nature, making us even more aware of how precious the natural world is – we literally can’t miss its gloriousness! So we’ve implemented some super simple, yet super effective initiatives in our Solihull HQ. These have included:
A hybrid workplace to reduce commuting – When it’s not necessary to be present at Pod HQ, employees are encouraged to work from home. This will reduce the amount of carbon emissions from transportation attributable to our organisation under scope 3.
In recent research, DecarboN8, has found homeworking results in an overall average CO2 reduction of 17–60%1.
Introducing a CSR strategy and green transport policy – Where travel to the office or client meetings is necessary, employees are encouraged to use public transport or lift share wherever possible.
Making sure we use recycling bins in the office.
Switching to renewable energy and swapping our office consumables including hand-soap and toilet rolls to sustainable or refillable alternatives.
Pay and pensions
As a green agency, we have also managed to find sustainability improvements in less likely places. For example, we offer all of our employees a green pension option. This means, as part of our employee pension scheme, we help staff to invest their retirement funds into a fossil-fuel-free climate index – the L&G PMC Fossil Fuel Free Climate Equality Index 3 to be precise.
We have also joined the Stripe initiative, so any payments made to us provide a 0.5% donation directly to climate change initiatives through its portfolio of carbon removal projects.
Cycle to work
Much to the delight of the avid cyclists on our team, The Pod also takes part in the Cycle to Work scheme – to encourage employees to choose carbon-free (and super healthy) transport when they do need to go into the office. The scheme enables Podsters to save over 48% by buying a bike through a pre-tax salary sacrifice.
As well as being fantastic for staff wellbeing and lowering emissions, there are other environmental benefits: cycling to work means not contributing to the dreaded rush-hour congestion or associated noise pollution.
Our amazing clients
We’re genuinely proud to work with businesses innovating for a cleaner future, who offer low-carbon solutions that will play a vital role in the net zero transition. We love being given the opportunity to create engaging assets that push the benefits of the green economy.
This included developing a clear path to net-zero proposition for customers of npower Business Solutions and the Bryt by Nature sustainability report for Bryt Energy. We supported the launch of Acceleron’s world-first circular economy battery, and were delighted to back Xoserve’s gas decarbonisation campaigns.
Our work has even been recognised in the form of a nomination for Communications Agency of the Year at the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards 2022.
We believe they each have something important to shout about when it comes to sustainability, so we use our marketing expertise to help our clients tackle some of the great climate challenges of our times. We work with them to change public attitudes, influence business and policymakers and drive investment to the green economy.
We can all do our bit
We’re proud of the work we’ve done to make ourselves a green agency. As we’ve learned, there are possibilities to cut your carbon footprint everywhere you look – from your working policies and pension schemes, to the people and businesses you choose to work with.
And our sustainability journey doesn’t stop here… we’re always looking for new ways to boost sustainability and cut carbon emissions. So let us know what you’re doing - we can all learn from each other!