If you run a business and you’re not trying your best to be as sustainable as possible, you could run into problems – you might even find you lose customers, especially if your competitors do have good eco-friendly practices in place. And as your business grows, it’s going to become more and more important to be kind to the planet. Does that sound like a challenge you can’t deal with? Don’t worry – it might sound boring or difficult, but it can actually be quite simple to do, and you might even find it’s interesting and helps your business, so that’s got to be good. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some great sustainability practices for growing businesses; read on to find out more.
Rethink Your Energy Use
One of the best and, happily, simplest ways to be more sustainable in your business is to take a look at how that business currently uses energy and then, if you need to (and if it’s possible) do something about it. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean rushing into big projects like solar panels and so on, which can be expensive and disruptive (although they’re one of the best ways to reduce your energy use, so they could definitely be on your radar for later on), because you can always start small, and very often that’s the best way to start.
Take a look at how you’re heating and lighting your space and think about if there are areas where you can reduce your energy consumption. The great thing is that you only have to do a few simple things like swapping your incandescent bulbs for energy-efficient LEDs, using smart thermostats, or encouraging your team to completely turn off their computers at the end of the day, and you’ll soon see a difference.
If you want to go a step further, you can look into renewable energy sources, as we’ve mentioned above. The point is you need to be making conscious choices that reduce your energy footprint without negatively impacting your business, otherwise you’ll find you end up having problems you really don’t need.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
We all know the mantra: reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s great, and it does make a lot of sense – do all of that, and you’ll be doing well. But how often do we actually put the ideal into practice – really doing it rather than just partly doing it or ignoring the idea completely? The issue is that for growing businesses, waste can pile up quickly, whether it’s excess packaging, office supplies, outdated technology… the list goes on. That’s why reducing, reducing, and recycling really does matter, and why you really do need to take it seriously.
Start by reducing the amount of stuff your business consumes – it’s not as hard as it seems. Do you really need all those printed reports, or could you switch to digital versions? Could your office supplies be sourced from sustainable companies or be made from recycled materials? And as for reusing, that could be repurposing materials, donating old electronics, or finding creative ways to upcycle office furniture.
Finally, make recycling easy for you and everyone else in your business too. One way to do that is to set up clearly labeled bins for paper, plastic, and other recyclables, and make sure your team knows what to put in each one. Or how about partnering with a local recycling company to ensure your waste is being handled properly and responsibly? In the end, the key is to make sustainability part of your daily routine so it just feels like second nature.
Track And Manage Your Waste
Waste management might not be the most glamorous part of running a business, but it follows on nicely from what we were talking about above, and it’s a crucial component of being sustainable, so you can’t just ignore it – that could end up being a huge mistake. And of course, the more you grow, the more waste you’re sure to produce, and it’s important to have a system in place to manage it effectively – you’ve got to know what’s happening, when, and how if you’re going to stay on top of things and not make any mistakes.
That’s where waste management software can be massively useful. Once you’ve got the right tools in place, you’ll be able to track how much waste you’re producing, and if you can do that, you can then spot any areas where you could improve (and perhaps do more recycling, for example). Using this specific kind of software means not only can you reduce your environmental impact, but you can stay organized, and that’s a fantastic combination for any business owner to be able to put together.
Use Digital Documents Instead Of Paper
You’ve probably heard of the idea of going paperless in your business, and although it might seem impossible to begin with, it’s actually something you could really do, and the benefits to the environment are big. But more than that, there are benefits for your business as well, and if you use digital documents instead of paper, it might be that you can streamline your business operations (and who doesn’t want to do that, especially if it speeds things up, makes things more organized, or saves money – and imagine if it could do all of the above!).
Think about how much paper your business uses on a daily basis – contracts, invoices, reports, meeting notes, scraps of paper you use to jot ideas down on, mail… Now imagine all of that in digital form where it can be easily stored and accessed with the click of a button.
If you can do that, not only will you cut down on paper waste, but you’ll also save on storage space, and make your workflow more efficient and easy to handle, even if you’ve got a small team or you work by yourself. And what’s great about this idea is that there are tons of digital tools that can help with this plan, like cloud storage platforms, e-signature tools, and project management apps that are all fantastic when it comes to keeping things organized without the need for a physical piece of paper (or lots of pieces of paper, which is more likely to be the case).
Plus, going digital can save you money on your printing costs, and who doesn’t love a bit of extra cash in their budget? Then there’s the fact that digital documents are far better for your remote team because they can share work instantly and easily. When you think about it, digital documents make so much sense, and the fact that they’re also sustainable is the icing on the cake.
Use Eco-Friendly Packaging
If your business deals with physical products, then you’re likely already familiar with the challenge of finding (and disposing of) the right packaging – traditional plastic might be the most convenient option, but it’s hardly eco-friendly, is it? So what can you do? Well, the good news is that there are environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic all over the place, and they’re getting easier to find and put to use in your business.
For one thing, you can look into biodegradable or recyclable packaging options for your products – materials like recycled cardboard, paper, or even compostable plastics (yes, they do exist) can be perfect substitutes for the old packaging you were using that just clogs up the planet and causes more harm than good. Not only will finding better, more sustainable packaging help to reduce your business’s carbon footprint, but it’s also a great way to show customers that you’re serious about sustainability.
And here’s a special bonus tip: you can use your packaging to tell your sustainability story, letting your customers know that you’ve made deliberate, eco-friendly choices, and telling them how they can easily and ethically dispose of your packaging responsibly. It’s a great idea because it’s an easy way to build trust and create a loyal customer base while also doing good things for the planet.
Sustainable Transportation And Commuting
Transportation is yet another area where growing businesses really can make a big impact because most businesses are going to need transport in one way or another. It could be the way your team gets to work, for example, or it could be how your goods are shipped to your customers – or how they get to you. Whatever it is you do, there’s sure to be at least one aspect of your business that relies on transport in some way, and since it can be a problem for the environment, it shouldn’t be a surprise to find that it can also be something you can do something about in terms of your sustainability.
If you’re in the product business, look at ways to make your shipping routes the best they can be so they’re as short as possible, or use eco-friendly couriers who already use sustainable practices (if they’re using them, you’ll start using them by default). As for commuting, could you encourage your team to use public transport, carpool, cycle, or even walk to work? Or if that’s not possible, what about remote work? Then there wouldn’t be any need for a commute at all (and it’s employee-friendly, so that’s another bonus). The more you can focus on transport, the bigger a positive impact you’re going to have with your customers and the environment, which is exactly what you’re hoping to do.
