As environmental and social guidelines are gaining more and more relevance in society, one can see a movement on the part of companies towards an alignment of their practices with the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) which also involve the union between digital signature and sustainability.
In times of climate crisis, global warming and strong environmental impacts on the world, it is natural that the theme is on the rise – and most organizations already understand that sustainable management must be among their highest priorities.
Given this scenario, we, at ZapSign, took the initiative to produce this content. Throughout it, you will be able to check how powerful the alliance between digital companies and sustainable actions is for a management practice based on solid criteria of preservation of the environment, care for social causes and governance. Good reading!
What is sustainability in companies?
Conceptually, sustainability in companies is defined as a strategic management that consciously considers strong consistency in the company's processes, so that its economic growth is enhanced without causing harm to the environment or the quality of life of the people who make up the local community.
Indeed, sustainability aims to establish methods capable of supplying the main needs (collective and individual) consciously, preserving and renewing the resources used, so that later generations can also have their own demands met.
By valuing the use of sustainable methods for longer term escalation, instead of promoting massive and insane growth based on obtaining the maximum profit within a short term, these practices promote a significant reformulation of the company's internal processes, implementing a practice policy based on social, environmental and economic criteria.
In fact, it has been a while since sustainability ceased to be a simple attraction or a mere differential, but an extreme necessity in every possible way. Since corporate activity drives a significant part of the planet's economy and social development, it becomes clear that the way in which this activity is conducted is of decisive value for the preservation of the planet and its resources.
Today, the largest organizations on the planet understand that sustainable management is extremely necessary – otherwise, there will be no activity possible in the not so distant future.
The other layers of society are also much more aware than before, in order to demand an affirmative environmental positioning from the main brands in the market. In other words, the world is changing and if you don't keep up with this change, you won't get very far.
Reaffirming the relevance of these factors, the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) has been increasingly applied in the management of companies around the world, being considered the tripod of corporate sustainability: Environmental, Social and Governance.
E - Environmental
Environmental is the environmental criterion, which covers the guidelines regarding the reduction of the direct impact that the activities carried out by a given company can cause on the environment, such as, for example: management of waste, gases and pollutants, recycling plan and several others. .
S - Social
The second pillar considers the impact of the company's activities on people – from employees and customers to local communities. Here, management is conducted according to principles of ethics, diversity, human rights, accessibility and equal opportunities.
G - Governance
The third criterion exists to manage the company's activities towards economic growth that respects cultural, social and environmental parameters. To this end, it considers the importance of responsible management of resources and transparent and honest communication with employees, the public and society in general.
What is digital signature?
Digital signature is a type of electronic signature whose concept is linked to the use of any electronic or digital mechanism to validate the authorship of an act.
It is, therefore, a resource that proves the identity of its signatories in a secure way, using cryptography, a virtual key and a digital certificate, issued by a Brazilian certification authority, in accordance with the standards of Brazilian Public Key Infrastructure (ICP-Brasil).
In addition, it assumes the same legal value as a traditional signature, thanks to the establishment of various norms, such as Article 10, § 2, of the Provisional Measure No. 2.200-2/2001 and Provisional Measure No. 983 of 2020.
Some examples of digital certificate are the e-CNPJ and the OAB token used by lawyers. There are also types of digital certificates, such as A1 and A3.
In this text, we treat electronic signature and digital signature interchangeably, since in most situations they have the same effects.
How can the digital signature contribute to sustainability in companies?
We know that implementing an electronic signature platform in your document management can bring countless advantages to your business. However, what is often ignored is the affirmative potential that this type of solution can also represent from the point of view of environmentally sustainable policies. Check it out below.
Reducing paper consumption and combating deforestation
By dealing only with electronic files, the digital signature drastically reduces (and may even completely eliminate) paper consumption. In addition to the practical advantages, such as speeding up procedures, this practice also combats material waste.
If we think that each ton of paper means the felling of 11 trees, and that, in Brazil alone, there are approximately 19 million companies, we can have a good idea of the difference that the migration to digital can make to nature.
Decrease in pollution
The practice of digital signature also contributes to the reduction of pollution, since the reduction in expenses with couriers, couriers and other forms of transporting documents between the parties is closely linked to the reduction in the emission of polluting gases.
If we think about the long time that paper takes to decompose (about three months in a humid place, and much more in a dry place), we also realize the importance of adopting electronic document management processes in order to overcome the problems caused by the accumulation of garbage.
Modernization of processes
As we can see, file management based on an online environment strengthens an objective and modern operational process, in which errors are potentially reduced and easily corrected. In this way, the business becomes scalable, and other companies will seek to use it as a reference model – so that the focus on sustainable practices is widely replicated.
Increased productivity
As mentioned, the implementation of the digital signature in companies generates significant gains in the most diverse aspects. When work becomes more fluid and less stressful, levels of satisfaction among professionals increase – and we know that a satisfied team invariably becomes more engaged and productive. Satisfaction, engagement and productivity are of utmost relevance to the social and governance aspects of ESG.
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Good sustainability practices when using digital signature
The digital signature process as a way to promote sustainability in companies is intrinsically related to a series of basic practices. Here are some tips on how to make the most of this feature:
Scanning of documents
It is necessary to recognize the important role that technology plays in promoting a sustainable corporate culture: since digitized files have the same validity as physical ones, and even eliminate material waste, there is no reason to insist on a management model outdated and obsolete.
Document scanning is therefore the first and main step to be taken so that the routine contractual for your company to start operating exclusively with electronic signatures, strengthening the agility and sustainability necessary for your processes.
Cloud storage
Storing your documents on cloud services is essential if you want to establish sustainable and modernized document management. After all, to reduce the unnecessary use of paper in your work routine, you must first establish a viable alternative.
It is worth mentioning that, while your digitization process is not complete, the physical files that are still being used will need to be stored in appropriate conditions. Therefore, it is important to ensure the maintenance of these spaces, always paying attention to the temperature and humidity of the environment.
Document management security
Finally, once your documents are circulating exclusively in a virtual environment, establish the necessary access rules in order to guarantee the security and integrity of your company's relevant data. After all, an excellent corporate sustainability policy must also value the safe development and longevity of the business.
If you liked this article and want to implement a sustainable and effective digital signature solution in your company, here is our invitation to discover the ZapSign platform! Click here to learn more!
