It is important for the success of any business to ensure they implement a robust sustainability strategy. This is for three key reasons. First, there is a wide range of environmental legislation in place which it is imperative companies comply with. Second, consumers often want to purchase from businesses which have strong green credentials. Third, by adopting environmentally friendly practices any business can save money.
Let’s consider three key ways you can boost profits in your business while helping to save the environment.
Reduce Your Reliance on Natural Resources
Any steps you can take to reduce your energy and water usage will also lower your utility bills.
· Ensure your building is as well insulated as possible so that the least amount of heat escapes through the windows, walls and roof.
· Old appliances run less efficiently than modern energy saving models so consider updating your air conditioning or heating systems.
· Install low energy light bulbs and fit motion sensors on the lights so they are only activated when needed.
· Fit dual flush toilets and aerated taps to lower your water consumption.
You can even make a tax saving on the purchase of much of this energy and water efficient equipment if you take advantage of the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme.
Move to a Paperless Office
If you move towards a paperless office you will save money by purchasing less paper and having fewer costs related to printing and photocopying. Less printing is of course great for the environment as the fewer trees which need to be cut down for paper pulp the better.
If you want to go almost completely paperless you can scan all your documents and store them digitally. Manuals, memos and employee handbooks can all be distributed either via email or on your company intranet. While going paperless will use less physical space it will mean you need a great deal more data storage. It makes sense to opt for a cloud host who can store your data securely via encryption and back it up regularly. so you never need to worry about data loss or corruption.
In addition, install air hand dryers in your kitchen and toilet areas. These are hygienic, energy efficient and will remove the need for paper towels, which not only use a natural resource but also add to the amount of waste you produce.
Reduce waste and increase Recycling
Once you have reduced your waste by going paperless you can look further at the items you throw away and make a concerted effort to recycle everything possible. All rubbish should be sorted into separate bins for plastic or metal recycling. There should be one for each of: glass; aluminium cans; paper and cardboard; plastics; other metals; and kitchen food scraps. The scraps and used tea bags can be composted, and either used in the grounds of your business or given to a community growing project.
When you are considering recycling you should also think about larger items. For example, do you always need to buy your office furniture new or could you use second hand items? The same is true when you have furniture or items past their useful life for you but which might still be viable for other people. Therefore consider donating these to charity or freecycling them.
Electronic equipment needs to be disposed of under the WEEE regulations which means you either have to get a certified waste carrier to remove it or you can donate it to a non-profit organisation. If it can still be helpful to someone else why not consider the latter option.
When you are first considering these three sustainable alternatives they might seem quite arduous, however it’s surprising how easily they can be implemented. Your employees will soon get used to the changes and in fact most people enjoy working for a business which is ethically sound in terms of green issues. You will also soon notice a reduction in your costs and this, it has to be said, is a major benefit of increasing your green credentials.
