Image: Burak Kebapci
Nowadays, environmental impact is something that all businesses need to think about. We are all responsible to do our bit to help the planet. However, it can be difficult to know how to go about this. How can you implement green changes at your business? Which changes are going to be the most beneficial? Read on to discover everything you need to know about going green.
What are the benefits of your business going green?
Before we look at the different ways you can reduce your environmental impact, it is first vital to establish why this is beneficial. Of course, the most obvious reason for going down this route is to do your bit for the planet. Most businesses today use a considerable amount of energy, and we all have a duty to make sure we are doing our bit to reduce our carbon footprint so that we can protect the planet. However, the benefits go a lot further than this. Going green can also help you to reduce your ongoing costs, as you will lower your reliance on non-renewable resources. Solar power and alike do require an initial investment, but in the long run this can save you a considerable amount of money. This is also a good way to protect the future of your business. Sustainable operations ensure your business is future proof. Furthermore, you need to consider the impact all of this will have on your brand image. If you show your company as one that is responsible and cares about the environment, this will help you to strengthen your brand identity and build up a reputation as a company that cares. Trust is important today, and more and more consumers care about ethics and environmental responsibility. Going green can make a massive difference regarding how your business is viewed in the eye of your customers.
Some of the steps you can take to go green…
– Rethink waste disposal – The first thing you need to do is look at the way your business handles waste disposal. Of course, this will depend on your operations. Nevertheless, at a basic level you need to make sure you have recycle bins at your premises. Aside from this, you need to make sure you implement eco-friendly waste disposal methods for dealing with technology, batteries, and such like. You can hire a specialist firm if you have a large amount of electric waste to be disposed.
– Make the switch to LED light bulbs – This is one of the easiest changes you can make to ensure that your business acts more environmentally friendly. At the moment, if you are still using incandescent light bulbs, then you are wasting electricity. While LED light bulbs may cost a little bit more to begin with, they will save you a lot of money in the long run. This is because they use much less energy yet they still deliver the same amount of brightness.
– Rethink the way your employees get to and from work – It is a good idea to consider offering incentives to employees to start being more eco-friendly. One of the ways that they can do this is by cycling to work or carpooling. You may even want to run a competition to see which staff member can reduce their carbon footprint the most. After all, it is very hard for your business to be more eco-friendly if your employees are not on board.
– Install a water dispensing system – A lot of businesses provide their customers with a bottle of water as a courtesy. Does your company do this? While it is very polite to do so, did you know that not all of the plastic bottles that are sent to be recycled could actually be recycled? Instead, you can reduce your carbon footprint while also saving some money in the process by simply getting a filtered water system installed.
– Go online – There are a number of different ways you can reduce your reliance on paper and switch to online methods instead. Firstly, you should move your storage system online if you have not already. Switching to the cloud can save your business a lot of money. In fact, statistics show that companies can cut the amount they spend on paper by 50 per cent by switching to the cloud.
– Get an energy audit – The final piece of advice for any business looking to reduce their carbon footprint is to get a professional energy audit. This will involve a professional coming to your business premises so they can see how you are using energy at the moment. They will put together a report so that you can see whether you are using energy efficiently or not, and where improvements can be made. It is up to you whether you take this advice or not, but it can be incredibly insightful and help to ensure that your business is operating as efficiently as possible.
So there you have it: everything you need to know about going green at your business. As you can see, there are many reasons why any company should consider going green. Not only will you help the planet, but also you can lower your expenses while also boosting your brand image in the process, as well as the sustainability of your business. Use the advice that has been provided above to implement the methods that are necessary to give your business an eco-makeover.