As your business grows, your brand purpose goes beyond solving a problem for a profit. Reducing business carbon footprint is one of the most pressing concerns for 21st Century enterprise. In fact, more and more of us are changing our finance, production and marketing practices to be more sustainable.
How can businesses be environmentally friendly?
- Sustainable company culture
- Reduce waste
- Review your assets
- Streamline business processes
- Do your research
- Make use of online tools
Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t have to break the bank. By making a few small changes to your culture and day-to-day operations, you can make a significant impact. Find out how to ‘bee’ more environmentally friendly with these sustainable business practices.
Company culture: sustainability comes from within
As a business manager, it’s important that you practise what you preach. The first place to start is by reviewing your company culture. More than just a set of values on a wall plaque, your company culture comprises your fundamental beliefs and business practices, which the whole team should follow.
So, how can you encourage a sustainable business culture?
- Encourage company car pooling
- Consider electric or hybrid cars for company vehicles
- Promote a cycle to work culture, for example with Ride to Work schemes
- Implement reuse and recycle schemes, for example, sharing unwanted household items.
Think about reducing company waste
Now that you’ve promoted sustainable values among your staff, you should review your waste management processes. For example – do you need to print as many documents as you’re currently doing right now? Rather than using physical resources, consider secure file sharing systems like Google Drive, which offer a backed-up, reliable platform for viewing key information.
It’s not just the paper either. What about those drinks breaks? Encourage teams to use refillable water bottles and ditch the plastic cups. You can even take part in coffee pod recycling schemes.
Take a look at your assets
Everything on your premises – your computers, printers, even your stationery – can all play a part in reducing business carbon footprint. You can make the switch to a renewable and/or more ethical energy supplier, or consider switching to low-energy lightbulbs or energy-efficient computers.
Don’t forget the staff room either. Look at all appliances like the kettle, fridge or dishwasher. You can read the energy ratings or consider switching to low energy, minimum water waste products.
Streamline your processes with technology
2020 saw more than 45 per cent of us switching to remote working. With no commute and easy project management/video conferencing solutions, it’s one of best ways to stay sustainable.
Again, you can look at your company culture here. Consider making your remote working policies more flexible to prevent unnecessary car journeys.
Beyond your staff, you can streamline your operations with sustainable business practices. Taking your business online can help by:
- Putting your products in a digital brochure rather than a printed booklet
- Storing client data in CRMs and email subscriptions rather than physical files
- Speeding up order processing with digital accounting and stock management
- Discouraging printed CVs by using online recruitment.
Do your research
Ultimately, your company sustainability comes down to personal decisions. Reviewing your supply chain will have to reduce your carbon footprint – for example, choosing a paper supplier that actively recycles. Look for sustainability clues such as:
- FSC certifications on printed products
- Fairtrade or other sustainable business affiliations
- Locally sourced products (try to shop locally where possible to reduce journeys)
- Ethical investment and lack of connection to harmful industries, such as the arms trade
- B-Corp status
- Vegan friendly or vegetarian consumables, which are likely to have a lower carbon impact
- Low energy consumption electronics – look for the EPEAT certification.
You can even take part in carbon offset schemes. These essentially allow companies to ‘balance out’ their carbon footprint by investing in environmental projects. These may be tree-planting or renewable energy products, thereby encouraging companies to become ‘carbon neutral’. You can find out more about the schemes here.
‘Bee‘ sustainable – go online
While we can all make little changes, the biggest step towards a greener business is to go digital. It negates the need for travel, high-energy office space, and wasted printing resources. Plus, there’s the added benefit of knowing your company stands for socially responsible values. Do your bit for the planet by going online!
