29. August 2016

Saving paper in your company: Our ultimate tip!

According to various sources, every German uses well over 200 kg of paper each year. This is especially prevalent in offices where paper consumption continues to grow year in year out. Yet very few companies do anything about reducing this consumption. This paper usage brings with it a whole host of (cost) disadvantages: In addition to purchasing costs, disposal costs must also be incurred of course. Furthermore, new printers must be bought, maintained and disposed of on a regular basis. Of course, printing also has an impact on the company’s budget. And the environment suffers, too, and not only because of paper production.

Even recycled paper puts a massive strain on the environment

We Germans are experts in collecting old paper. Of course, we welcome it when companies opt for reused paper and buy the recycled variety. There are hardly any disadvantages compared to new paper. With recycled paper, the printing quality is good and it has comparable durability and tear resistance.

Yet the process of manufacturing recycled paper has an adverse effect on the environment. Long and short paper fibres are cleaned and separated, acids and alkalis are used, and large amounts of energy are needed to recycle paper. However, the cost savings involved in the purchase of recycled paper are only felt when large volumes are ordered.

Most important factor: Paper is inefficient!

Paper is unbelievably inefficient. Transporting it can be difficult, storing it for extended periods awkward, and searching through it tedious.

Even companies with just one location have to spend a lot of time distributing paper and documents from the inbox or within the company. The time and effort required by companies with multiple locations is far higher and involves a lot of resources.

The need to store paper archives long into the future is no longer relevant. The space required to do this results in unnecessary costs, and archives can be completely and irrevocably lost in the event of fire or water ingress. Unauthorised removal of or changes to documents cannot be tracked, meaning that your company is not sufficiently protected against manipulation.

Documents that, for example, must be retrieved quickly due to an accounting audit or litigation may be stored in the wrong place or may be simply irretrievable. Even in the case of archives with proper storage and structural measures in place, searching for documents, e.g. a particular invoice from a supplier, can take hours or days. You cannot search through paper electronically.

Working digitally is the ultimate tip for saving paper in the office

Of course, you should be praised for making the effort to print on both sides or reduce the font in order to have more content on the individual pages and thus save paper. However, you have to pose the serious question as to whether you can do away with paper in the office completely. This is not that difficult!

Invoices and documents can be sent to your customers and partners electronically. Quotes for customers or current memos for meetings no longer have to be printed; instead they can be sent as PDFs or by email.

A lot of paper can be avoided in daily cooperation within the company. Drafts are no longer printed and corrected in writing or released. As per usual, these can be provided with stamps or comments – only now completely digitally. Financial data is transferred quickly, simply and securely to the accounting office.

You can even motivate other companies to save paper. Insist upon the exchange of electronic invoices with suppliers and subcontractors. The advantage: You can integrate it into your electronic business processes. The supplier saves on paper and postage costs, and you can shape your future work processes to be digital and automated.
Learn more about the different ways to avoid using paper in your company

Our modern Enterprise Content Management solution from AMAGNO provides you with enormous potential for saving paper. This way you not only protect the environment, you also benefit from massive cost savings and gain a competitive advantage over your competitors by increasing efficiency.

Photocredit: Isaac Bowen – CC BY-SA 2.0