Eco-solutions: Ukrainian businesses save over 48,000 trees in one year with electronic documents and checks

Throughout the year, Ukrainian businesses have been able to save over 48 thousand trees due to the use of electronic documents and checks. This amount of trees could cover an area of 30 to 60 hectares. Additionally, significant amounts of electricity, water, and fuel have also been conserved.

Anton Skokov, head of the digital business solutions service "Vchasno," talks about how digitization helps protect the environment.

What is the problem?

Due to military operations in Ukraine, approximately 3 million hectares of forests were affected, almost one-third of the country's forest resources. Before the invasion, the official forest area was 10.4 million hectares.

In just the occupied territories of Ukraine, approximately 60 hectares of valuable plantations, amounting to 14 billion hryvnias, have been lost. The loss continues to increase daily.

What is the solution?

Currently, there is a strong global movement towards environmental protection. This includes initiatives such as garbage sorting, waste-free production, and the use of alternative energy sources. However, in Ukraine, due to the ongoing war, the focus is shifting towards survival for both individuals and businesses.

However, we must not disregard social responsibility even now, as the future of all Ukrainians will depend on the world we are shaping today. If a business has the slightest chance to contribute to environmental preservation, it should certainly be utilized. Digitization has a significant impact in this regard, especially the shift from physical to electronic documents and payments.

This has a two-fold effect:

• firstly, speeding up business processes,
• secondly, nature conservation.

Essentially, Vchasno's main objective is to eliminate paper documents from the world through strategic means. The aim is to digitize all agreements and facilitate communication among companies and partners. One of the driving forces behind this effort is the pressing issue of environmental problems. In Ukraine, the depletion of forests has been a persistent concern, although the focus has now shifted.

It was estimated that in the past year, thanks to the shift away from paper documents and checks, Ukrainian businesses were able to save:

•  More than 48,000 trees (equivalent to a total area of 30-60 hectares);
•  Over 73 million liters of water;
•  More than 11 million kW of electricity;
•  600,000 liters of fuel.

Other companies are also implementing successful environmental initiatives. For instance, some businesses have placed only one printer in a multi-level office to encourage employees to print less, as they would want to avoid getting up and going to the printer constantly.

Another significant trend is the technology of creating paper from fallen leaves. This is the ideal choice for those who still enjoy reading physical books.

Why will this improve business performance?

Aside from being environmentally conscious, digitalization also enhances business efficiency in two ways:

• Firstly, it dramatically accelerates business processes.
• Secondly, companies that prioritize social responsibility are more appealing to employees.

People are starting to show more responsibility towards nature in their daily lives. Naturally, they prefer to work for a company that aligns with their personal beliefs about good behavior. If we create something, we should not simply create waste—we should either repurpose it or recycle it.

Currently, we all lack responsibility. Our usual approach is to wait for someone else to start before getting involved ourselves. We aren't accustomed to taking initiative and focusing on our own actions, our own community, or our own business. It's essential for each of us to ask ourselves:

• What can I, as an individual, do to help preserve more trees and improve air quality?

Once the war ends and Ukraine emerges victorious, Ukrainians will undoubtedly revisit this issue, but from a more pressing perspective. The environmental situation will be exceedingly challenging, particularly in areas where fighting has occurred. Therefore, everyone must start considering ways to overcome these hurdles.