The DECK’s Sustainability Commitment
Enhancing sustainability is a priority for The DECK and its community. Environmental, social, and economic sustainability are valued and considered in the daily and overarching functions of The DECK.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal
In 2015, the United Nations adopted, “The 2023 Agenda for Sustainable Development” which holds 17 main sustainable development goals (SDGs). All UN Member States have agreed to these goals and are making strides to pursue them. Many businesses including The DECK have taken the SDGs and begun implementing them into their own operations.
While all 17 goals are valuable and important, The DECK has chosen 4 goals to maintain and/or improve upon:
Ensure inclusive and
equitable quality education and promote
lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Quality Education:
The DECK provides
An equitable non-discriminatory environment for all members and users to work and grow as professionals. We look forward to meeting everyone who walks through our door and embracing them into our community with open arms.
Education and (international) internship opportunities for young people allowing them to gain work and cultural experiences. The DECK has worked with international interns through the organization CRCC Asia, local young entrepreneurs, and students from Mukogawa Women’s University to provide them with educational and work experiences.
Supports the education of staff members, entering, exiting, or participating in educational programs. With a small staff, The DECK is a tight knit operation where staff members are encourages and currently enrolled in educational classes.
Promote sustained, inclusive and
sustainable economic growth, full and
productive employment and
decent work for all.
Decent Work and Economic Growth:
The DECK provides
Mentorship for young entrepreneurs. We provide business consultations, business meeting locations, and a community of educated individuals who look forward to supporting other entrepreneurs.
WING services. WING is a support service for women entrepreneurs. We provide consultations, planning, and marketing strategies for women building or maintaining businesses.
Access to fabrication resources and office spaces. The DECK’s FAB Lab creates accessible opportunities for digital nomad and location-independent workers.
Supports staff members with children and families. Building and maintaining community and relationships is one of The DECK’s main values, and that is applied to those outside of the coworking space. The DECK does not discriminate against employees with families and accommodates when an urgent situation occurs.
Fair pricing. For all entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and location-independent workers to access coworking spaces it is important that the office rates are accessible. The DECK has established rates that are sustainable for the company while strongly taking into consideration the cost for users.
Make cities and human settlements
inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Sustainable Cities and Communities:
The DECK provides
Access to public transportation. The DECK is located above Sakaisuji Hommachi Station, allowing access to environmentally sustainable transportation.
Bike parking. There is free, secure bike parking at The DECK, making biking a more accessible form of transportation for users. Using transportation that produces less carbon emissions is a lifestyle that The DECK staff and many members embrace.
Events. We provide a space for community and cultural events, promoting inclusivity and education.
Ensure sustainable consumption and
production patterns.
Responsible Consumption and Production:
The DECK provides
Reusable cups and mugs. There are reusable cups and mugs located at the free drink station to ensure the minimization of single use products.
Water redistribution. Besides water consumption, The DECK’s second largest water usage is the small dishwasher that we use to clean our reusable cups and mugs. When the drink station closes, we use the clean water not used for drinking and use it for the last dishwasher cycle of the night.
Dishwasher. A dishwasher uses less water than hand washing dishes. Our dishwasher uses 5 liters of water each cycle and we usually run it 2 times a day.
Reduction of single use plastic. When to go buying meals in Japan it is often second nature for a store or restaurant to place your food into a plastic bag. Since users tend to purchase food in the area and eat lunch in the coworker space, The DECK has implemented a shared reusable bag system.
What The DECK is improving:
(Goal 11) Educating users on individual and business sustainable operations. Promoting events and providing resource about sustainability, users can become better educated on how to build their business or lifestyle.
