Saffery Trust in Guernsey will be supplying environmentally friendly period and menopause products for its staff and visitors.
A supply of organic cotton tampons with plastic-free applicators, organic and perfume-free liners and a vegan, cruelty-free hot flush cooling relief sprays has been made available in bathrooms across the firm’s office. With World Earth Day being marked on 22nd April, it was an important reminder to ensure that the products were environmentally friendly.
Managing Director, Nick Batiste, said supplying the products was important to the firm.
“As a responsible employer, the wellbeing of our staff is always a key consideration. While we do not anticipate that any of our staff are experiencing period poverty, we understand that there are instances where the products may be necessary,” said Mr Batiste.
There are posters in the bathrooms to encourage the use of the products if required. The posters also have a QR code to allow staff and visitors to learn more about, or make donations to, the UK-registered charity PeriodPoverty, which supplies free period products to women in the most deprived areas of Britain, as well as in crisis areas including Ukraine and Syria.
The private client firm is also in the process of ensuring its current supplies of toilet paper, hand towels and soap are replaced by products made from recycled materials. The initiative is part of the firm’s efforts to reduce its impact on the environment.
‘Green Team’ Co-lead, Joe Cardoso-Smale, said the products, which will be ordered through a local supplier, are an important change.
“When it comes to making improvements to become greener as a business, we have identified areas where we can impact change. When making decisions concerning our internal operations, our focus is to ‘avoid, reduce, repair and recycle’. By replacing our bathroom products with 100% recycled, un-bleached, toilet paper and hand towels, we are making a small change that will have a big impact in protecting the local environment,” he said.
“We will also be ordering foam soap, which typically biodegrades faster than traditional soaps. Foam soaps are also usually refilled less than lotion soap, which results in reduced supply chain emissions in the production and delivery processes thanks to reduced ordering.”
Mr Batiste welcomed the changes.
“The establishment of our volunteer ‘Green Team’ – an objective of our current business plan – has already been a huge success. Saffery Trust is committed to implementing greener practices and he environmentally friendly toiletries are an excellent step forward.”
Learn more about how Saffery Trust is striving to be a responsible business
