Sustainability is the big buzzword these days, and all companies must play their role in helping combat climate change. This is not only an ethical decision – it is a sound business decision as modern consumers are voting with their feet and aligning themselves with brands that are committed to reducing their carbon emissions.
Making changes to help the planet doesn’t have to be a challenging process, nor an expensive one. Many carbon-busting strategies help you reduce your running costs.
Here is our guide to reducing your carbon footprint and growing your business at the same time.
Reduce, re-use and recycle
The three Rs are at the top of this list as they are easy to achieve, making an enormous difference.
Most offices have already started working towards a paper-free environment, and the paper you use should be made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Recycling bins should be stationed around the workplace in clear view, and every effort should be made to reduce the amount of rubbish that is reaching landfill from your operations.
For larger equipment like office furniture, consider donating it to charitable organisations rather than dumping it when you upgrade.
Energy efficiency
Invest in LED lighting for all fixtures. These last up to 26 times longer than incandescent options and use up to five times less electricity.
Ensure all electronics include electricity efficiencies and set all computers and monitors to sleep mode when they are not being used. You can also set up motion sensors for lighting to turn them off when rooms are not being used.
Heating and cooling
This is a significant expense for most companies, and there are some simple ways to reduce your spending on HVAC solutions.
Quality insulation in the ceilings and walls limit your need to adjust the dial to extreme levels, and will seal off any drafts. Motion sensor technology can also be used. There is no sense in air-conditioning an empty room.
Transport
Limit any unnecessary company travel, and for the trips you can’t avoid, look at paying for carbon offsets (which are included in many booking processes). When your fleet needs upgrading, look towards electric vehicle solutions that are becoming much more affordable and mainstream.
Encourage staff to carpool, use public transport and walk and cycle to work. A rewards system could be put in place to incentivise this.
Business partnerships
In business, we partner with various companies for supply purposes and numerous other reasons.
Try to partner with organisations that have adopted strong sustainability measures themselves, as this will help with your marketing. If you say that you are making a difference to the planet, but you’re aligned with a supplier that is not, it won’t look good in the eyes of consumers.
Get a quick solar quote and contact us today on 1800 EMATTERS. You can also email our friendly team for expert, obligation-free advice.
