When it comes to environmental concerns, good corporate social responsibility is a must these days. No longer just ‘greenwash’, having solid policies and practices in place around sustainability is just good business sense. Not only can going greener lower operational costs and increase your businesses’ profit margin, it can also win you a great reputation and more trade with clients, boost staff morale and make you a more attractive employer to the brightest and best talent.
This is a contributed post. Please refer to my disclosure for more information.
Being a better business when it comes to the planet is what every smart small business should be aiming for. But these are big goals, and implementing them can seem overwhelming on top of an already packed to-do list.
These five areas will provide some quick wins to get your greener strategy rolling…
Smarten Up On Resources
This one is appealing because it’s a double win – if you focus on minimising waste, not only will your business be lessening it’s ecological impact, but you’ll also be saving on outgoings. And that adds up to a boost to your bottom line. Start by creating a matrix which gives you a cdp score. This will highlight areas where you need to make improvements. Take the chance for a thorough review of your resource consumption. What consumables come into your business? Which ones aren’t being used efficiently? What gets thrown away too soon? What could you reuse or recycle? For most businesses, it’s the obvious culprits such as paper and ink. Switch your default settings to black and white, double sided for standard documents and implementing a policy of not printing out unless absolutely necessary. This move alone could have a significant impact.
Reuse and Recycle
As well as reducing, look at areas where you could do better with recycling and reusing. As the world wises up to the importance of minimising waste, more and more products are becoming available in recycling-friendly formats, including electronics, stationary, kitchen supplies and printer cartridges. Always choose the recyclable option and make sure you have recycling bins prominently in the office.
Reduce Energy Consumption
If you don’t have a clear line on this one already, you need one. You could install motion sensors to control the lighting, investigate installing solar panels, ensuring all computers have an automatic timed shut down, and install energy-efficient LED lighting.
Vehicle Arrangements
If your company has vehicles, or you drive for work, have a look into the feasibility of switching to electric or hybrid cars or vans. These can often be a better choice if you cover small distances frequently. If you have employees, you could start a lift sharing policy or incentivise a cycle to work scheme – the bonus is fitter, healthier colleagues!
Know The Legislation
If you remain unsure of your legal obligations concerning the environment, make contact with a good small business solicitor who can advise you and help to draft any required business policies. Key areas include waste disposal and emissions and pollution prevention.
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Erika Ann
September 4, 2018 at 10:09 am (6 years ago)We’ve had solar panels in our work place for more than a year now and we’re also implementing green initiatives to get all employees involved. It feels really great to be doing something positive for the environment and getting other people involved with you.
7x Energy
July 28, 2019 at 7:06 pm (5 years ago)Such a great article to read! Thanks for sharing.