Creating a Kind and Inclusive Workplace: Willow Alexander’s Approach to Corporate Culture

Willow Alexander is proud to be a carbon-neutral Home + Garden brand that places care at the heart of everything we do. We believe that taking care of our clients, team, and the environment is essential to achieving our goals, and we are committed to making it a central focus of all our actions.

While many businesses may be aware of their impact on the world around them, we believe that it’s not enough to simply acknowledge it. To truly make a positive impact, we need to act with a conscience and make intentional choices that support a cleaner, greener, and happier planet.

Our journey to being different

Our passion for climate awareness and sustainability is ingrained in our work culture, and we have been working tirelessly to ensure that our values are reflected in everything we do. Since embarking on our sustainability journey in 2018, we have invested in new technologies and practices to manage our services and take care of our team.

Some of the steps we have taken include making our vehicles electric, using battery-powered tools, and implementing a paperless office. These changes have enabled us to become a carbon-positive workforce by 2020 and receive our internationally certified carbon-neutral certificate in 2022. But our work doesn’t stop here; we are continually seeking ways to reduce our emissions and be the best possible business for our clients, the planet, and most importantly – our employees.

Embedding inclusivity and compassion into our culture

Willow Alexander also recognises the importance of creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace for all our staff. We are committed to creating a safe, equal, and kind office environment that is also inclusive of LGBTQ+ and POC individuals. Our flexi hours allow our employees to manage their lives on their terms, as we believe that positivity is directly related to productivity. We strive to create a workspace where our team feels valued and supported, which is essential for their happiness and success.

 Designing our workspace

Staying true to our values, we’ve designed an office where you can live and breathe sustainability. Our office, based in south-east London, is a goldmine of preloved items, from our refurbished MacBooks to our antique furniture. We believe that good things are built to last and that everything deserves a second chance.

Through our use of eco-friendly design practices (which you can read about in further detail in our next blog), we have created a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere that captures the essence of the gardens we maintain with such care. By maximising natural light and incorporating natural elements such as refurbished hardwood furniture, we have created a calming and soothing office environment that allows creative energy to flow.

Fitting into the bigger picture

Our office ethos is aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, specifically focusing on Goal 5 for gender equality and Goals 8 and 10 for reducing inequalities. By creating an inclusive and supportive workplace culture that values and supports our employees, our ideologies are blueprinted in the same way we support our network of franchisees. On our journey to becoming the primary nationwide resource on sustainable services, we hope to empower our conscientious community while being kind and genuine in all that we do. Read more about our SDG commitment here.

We are proud of our achievements so far, but we know there is still much work to be done. We will continue to make changes and evolve, and only hope that our commitment to sustainability and inclusivity inspires others to make intentional choices that positively impact the world around them.