Our thinking

Embrace the change

15 October, 2020

At Good Business, we’ve gone through the many stages of frustration with Covid-19. Now, however, we think it is time to start accepting that this way of working, with its connection issues, “sorry, I was on mute”s, and remote team yoga sessions, is here to stay for the winter. Which means putting on the heating.  

This is why we welcome a new white paper, sponsored by NatWest, on calculating emissions associated with homeworking. The pandemic created new habits that impact corporate carbon footprints. And, unless we are careful to include these new kinds of emissions in Scope 3 footprint calculations, 2020 carbon footprints may falsely indicate encouraging results. Albeit just the beginning, this paper will help to ensure that companies report all emissions consistently, enabling accountability. 

The pandemic has also led to internal discussions about hybrid working and understanding how and what working habits will look like in the future, which is why we look forward to following Julia Hobsbawm and the Demos Workshift Commission. The team, composed of, both, the public and thinkers, aims to understand how we can use the pandemic as a catalyst to remodel working patterns by removing toxic, sometimes unproductive, workplace practices and incorporating the lessons learnt during this period. 

In the wake of Covid-19, habits will have undeniably changed, whether they are a result of policy changes, social changes or corporate culture changes. With the second wave fast approaching, it’s time to really accept our new normal, learn from it, and embrace the change. 

By Marie Guérinet