Environmental consciousness is on the rise; sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore; it has become a necessity. In the coming years, industries across the board will be seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint and minimize their impact on our planet. Accountants and bookkeepers are no exception; as one of the most paper-heavy departments, their workflow is a great place to start when it comes to limiting a business’s impact.
The Problem With Paper
Paper usage and production have had detrimental effects on our environment. One of the most significant contributors to global warming is deforestation. The process of cutting down trees to produce paper releases stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Trees also play a vital role in removing carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air and producing clean oxygen. With the mass removal of these trees, our air quality begins to deteriorate. Deforestation often leads to habitat destruction and loss of local biodiversity, further impacting ecosystems and contributing to climate change. Additionally, the production of paper relies on fossil fuels, as it is an energy-intensive task. This results in the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Paper production also involves the use of harsh chemicals such as bleach and dyes, which can seep into our water and cause harm to aquatic ecosystems.
A recent study shows that half the waste produced by businesses is paper, with 12.1 trillion sheets of paper used each year by offices located within the USA. Accountants and bookkeepers have to deal with piles of paperwork on a weekly basis. Invoices, receipts, financial statements, and tax documents would pile up in file cabinets and storage rooms, creating a significant environmental impact.
The Digital Solution
LedgerDocs is a game-changer, offering a digital solution to this paper problem, tackling this crisis and improving your sustainability. This cloud-based document management platform allows bookkeepers and accountants to store, manage, and access financial documents digitally, while remaining compliant with all laws and regulations. Eliminating the need for physical financial documents. Below are some practical ways LedgerDocs makes a difference:
1. Reducing Paper Usage
When you introduce LedgerDocs into your workflow, you eliminate the need to print and store stacks of paper documents. Traditional paper-based bookkeeping processes, including printing, photocopying, and mailing documents, consume a significant amount of paper. However with this platform, bookkeepers have the ability to upload, organize, and work with digital files, without the need for any additional paper, significantly reducing paper consumption.
2. Lowering Energy Consumption
Physical documents require transportation, which contributes to the greenhouse gases emitted into our atmosphere. By eliminating the need for physical copies and creating a functional framework where your bookkeepers can accept and work with digital files, your business can reduce the environmental footprint associated with these tasks.
3. Remote Collaboration
One of LedgerDocs’ focuses is fostering and simplifying remote collaboration. Bookkeepers and clients can collaborate on financial documents right at the document level from anywhere, creating an opportunity for the bookkeeping and accounting process to be done completely on the cloud. This reduces the need for face-to-face meetings and, consequently, travel-related emissions.
Real-Life Case Study
LedgerDocs is already changing the way bookkeepers are approaching sustainability. LedgersOnline, a Vancouver-based accounting and bookkeeping firm, made the switch to LedgerDocs as part of their sustainability initiative. By integrating LedgerDocs into their workflow, they were able to go mostly paperless, allowing them to manage hundreds of business’ books virtually and, as a result, save thousands of trees and energy that would be spent transporting documents and meeting face to face. Embracing LedgerDocs’ remote collaboration capabilities also allowed them to serve clients across the country without the need for in-person meetings, resulting in a reduction in travel-related emissions and opening up their pool of opportunities.
How You Can Start Green Accounting with LedgerDocs
Are you an accountant or bookkeeper looking to embrace sustainability? Here are some practical steps to get started with LedgerDocs:
- Sign up for a free trial with LedgerDocs and explore its features.
- Begin scanning and uploading your existing paper documents onto the platform.
- Use LedgerDocs’ document management tools to categorize and organize your files.
- Invite your team and your clients to their folders and begin to use the collaboration features to work on your documents.
- Track your sustainability efforts by keeping tabs on the reduced paper usage, energy savings, and emissions reductions.
Embracing sustainability in bookkeeping doesn’t just benefit the planet; it can also elevate your firm’s efficiency and competitiveness. It allows you to speed up your bookkeepers’ process and eliminate the back-and-forth needed to get bookkeeping tasks done.
LedgerDocs also empowers accountants and bookkeepers to make a positive impact on the environment by reducing paper consumption, lowering energy usage, and minimizing emissions while streamlining their work. It’s a win-win situation where sustainability and efficiency go hand in hand. So, if you’re ready to take the leap into green accounting, book a demo and see how LedgerDocs can be your digital partner on this eco-friendly journey.
