Richmond Towers, the UK’s longest-established PR agency, this summer signed up to our Jump: Healthy Planet Healthy Team initiative. Helen Jones, an account executive working in the company’s sustainability team, is participating, cutting back on tube journeys by walking instead. She spoke to Julian Blake about the scheme – and Richmond Towers’ efforts to recycle and cut energy waste.
“We’re a PR agency specialising in food, drinks and sustainability in three dedicated teams. We’re in central London, based right in the heart of Soho. There are about 24 of us, so although we’re long established, we remain fairly small.
“Sustainability has always been important for Richmond Towers. On the sustainability team we work with a wide range of companies in the sector, from manufacturers of renewable technologies to LED lighting companies. All of our clients have an eco slant, so the green message is always in our minds when we’re talking to journalists or writing copy.
“From our point of view on the sustainability team, the Green Rewards scheme is something that’s quite close to our hearts. We know the importance of getting the green message out there, and also encouraging people to get involved, so it’s definitely something that we’re strongly behind.
“I’ve signed up for the walking module within the Jump scheme. It fits in with my lifestyle, as I quite often walk a couple of extra stops down the line and get on the tube there to get a bit of extra exercise. It also cuts my tube journey down, which is a bonus, because the tube’s not very pleasant – particularly during the summer!
“I live in Finchley Central, and I get the tube to Tottenham Court Road, which is about a 25-minute journey. I usually do my walking in the afternoons, so instead of getting on the tube at Tottenham Court Road, I walk to Warren Street, which is roughly a mile and takes about 20 minutes.
“I haven’t attempted to walk all the way – it’s about seven or eight miles so I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet!
“Jump (Green Rewards) is a really good idea because it incentivises you to get moving and go green at the same time. I was doing these walks to Warren Street anyway, but it’s encouraging me to do it more often now, because it’s at the back of my mind that it’s a part of this scheme. It gives you that extra boost to do it.
“I always feel better when I do a bit more walking. It clears my head. If I spend all day in the office it can get quite stuffy, which makes me tired. If I then just leave work and get straight on the tube it’s not great, so it always helps to have a bit of a walk first.
“I only signed up for the walking module recently, but I’m intending to build up the amount of time I walk per week, and keep getting better at it.
“I’ve looked at what Green Points get you and there seems a good range of things on offer. The points are a good idea, and I also like the fact that you can donate to charities as an alternative – I think that’s a nice touch.
“I’m all for eco products – it’s part of my job! I’m also very interested in recycling and living a greener lifestyle in general, so I think the scheme is great.
“We’re quite committed to recycling at Richmond Towers. We have several big paper recycling bins, which people are very good at using, and we also have recycling bins for plastic bottles and tins. We’ve talked about lighting as well, and the possibility of switching to LED bulbs to make our meeting rooms more eco-friendly.
“We also place great emphasis on cutting back on waste. The last person to leave the office has to switch off all the lights and air conditioning, and everybody shuts down their computers daily. In terms of food waste, we’ve just implemented a system where everybody has their own lunchbox to keep their food in, limiting the amount of food people bring in. Now everybody knows which is their individual food and buys the right amount based on what they need for the week. There’s a lot less waste as a result, although I do feel there’s just too much packaging around in general.”
