Naava’s first-ever sustainability report outlines the company’s sustainability strategy, emissions, and handprint. The CEO of the Finnish indoor nature technology company emphases the emergence of the hybrid office as an important business driver. This is an important factor for Naava to sustainably support the modern office as a desirable destination for employees, making it a green office.
Currently, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. Due to the scarcity of nature in cities, for many, the closest natural environments are several hours’ travel away. This disconnect with nature has been shown to be detrimental to our health. It elevates stress, impacts creativity and productivity at work, and can lead to increased absenteeism over the longer term. Salmenhaara believes that urbanization and the hybrid work model will continue to drive demand for more human-friendly offices. He sees a future of work life where well-being-first workplace design is no longer just ‘nice to have,’ but an essential part of the employee-centric values of forward-thinking companies.
“Through urbanization, we have isolated ourselves from the species-specific environment we are biologically programmed to live in, and the fresh air we were born to breathe. We believe that nature and fresh, healthy air are basic human rights,” envisions Salmenhaara, who lived for almost two decades in the metropolises of Shanghai and Singapore due to previous jobs, before returning to his native Finland.
Green offices to tackle health risks
Potential health impacts of polluted air have also been noted by the World Health Organization: inhaling poor, polluted air thousands of times a day has been identified as one of the most significant environmental health risks of the 21st century.
Indoor air quality has been touted as a particular concern; according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the air we breathe indoors can be two to five times more polluted than air outdoors. Given that people spend more than 90% of their time indoors, the need for Naava’s contribution to healthier indoor spaces is greater than ever.
“Our solutions enable over 390,000 people to live healthier lives every day. We are committed to positively impacting society by reconnecting people with nature in a planet-positive way. We will continue to strive for ongoing improvement and meet the highest sustainability standards,” concludes Salmenhaara.
The Finnish indoor nature technology company Naava has published its first sustainability report, announcing key figures from 2022 and a robust commitment to reaching carbon neutrality by 2027. The report, made in accordance with GRI Standards, outlines the company’s sustainability strategy of developing a strong positive handprint and minimal footprint, aligned with the UN Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We can all cut our carbon footprint
One of the most significant reductions in Naava’s environmental footprint resulted from a switch to low-emission, renewable diesel fuel for its Finnish maintenance vehicles. The switch allowed the carbon footprint from maintenance services in Finland to be reduced by up to 90% compared when using fossil diesel.
Additionally, preventative maintenance through Naava’s self-optimization technology allows the time between scheduled maintenance to be significantly increased, further reducing environmental impact and emissions. Currently, renewable diesel is only used in the Finnish market, but Naava aims to scale the use of sustainable fuel.
“We see our impact as a two-dimensional offset between our handprint – all our positive effects on society, and our footprint – and everything we leave behind,” says Arttu Salmenhaara, CEO of Naava. “We believe the best way to maximize the net impact of our company is by working equally hard on both sides of this equation, and we’re proud to articulate our ongoing efforts in this first sustainability report.”
It’s worth investing in workplace wellbeing for many reasons, one being increased productivity.
