The Benefits of Going Paperless

According to recyclyingbins.co.uk (2021), the UK uses approximately 12.5 million tons of paper each year.

The environmental damage caused from the unsustainable use of paper is immense. There are however many benefits to going paperless for your business that go further than the environmental implications.

Here at Appt we strive towards being a fully paperless company. Documents are only printed if they need to be.

What are the business benefits to going paperless?

Better Organisation

It’s much easier and more practical to store all your documents online rather than have stacks of paper in a filing cabinet. 

Collaboration and Access

An online solution also provides a system that everyone can have access to from outside the office anywhere in the world. In the work from home era, this has never been more crucial. If one employee is sick and has all their required documents for a project on paper, it makes it increasingly difficult for the office to work efficiently. Online storage can facilitate the smooth running of your office. 

Professional Work Environment

This is closely related to better organisation. The clean office space generated by online storage makes your office look modern and professional to your clients. It also creates a relaxing atmosphere for your employees.

Increased Efficiency

By going paperless, less time is spent looking for a paper copy. On average, a person will spend 6 months of their life looking for lost items, making sure that time isn’t spent looking for a paper copy can save your business precious minutes. With less paper comes increased efficiency. There is less time spent on busy work - no waiting for printers, no time spent looking for your paper copy. This allows for more time to be allocated to the valuable tasks that underpin your business. 

Reduced Costs

The costs of using paper in the office can run 13 to 31 times the cost of purchasing the paper in the first place. This cost stems from the cost of printing as well as purchasing ink cartridges and printers. A paperless business model reduces your office spending.

Enhanced Security

Online files and forms can be encrypted several times. Even if a laptop from your office goes missing, the data can still be secure. A paper copy of important information cannot be encrypted. Businesses working with sensitive client data should be extremely cautious of using paper copies. Online systems often have different permission levels as well, allowing you to easily control who sees what within your organisation.  

Eco-friendly

Using less paper reduces deforestation, a easy step any environmentally conscious business can take. As well as paper, printers are also often unsustainably produced. 3 quarts of oil is used to produce a laser printer and the accompanying inkjet cartridges (Energy Central, 2017). A paperless approach is a sustainable practice that can help protect the Earth’s forests which are large carbon capture vessels.

These benefits are all well and good, however it is not always possible to completely eradicate paper from your business. 

Other sustainable practices 

General Sustainable Practices

If you are unable to adopt a completely paperless approach, there are some simple tricks to increase sustainability. Decreased margins and reduced font size helps to get more information on the page. Printing in black and white as opposed to colour helps to reduce the demand for colour cartridges which are more environmentally damaging to produce.  Double-sided printing is also brilliant if you want to reduce environmental damage.

Recycled Paper

Recycled paper is made from post-consumer waste rather than wood pulp from trees and much better for the environment than fresh paper. Look for a high % of recycled material when buying paper for your printer. 

FSC Certified Paper

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-for-profit organisation that seeks to protect the world’s forests. They use sustainable practices to oversee timber production and ensure all their paper is sustainably sourced. Their certified paper is indistinguishable from normal paper when it comes to quality.