Sustainability means doing business without negatively affecting the society, community, or environment. As such, more customers are engaging with companies promoting ‘go green’ principles. Aside from that, sustainability also helps in many ways. For instance, you can improve your employees’ health as well as decrease overheads, such as reduce energy costs when practicing sustainability.
If you’re looking to make your business more sustainable, below are some of these practices you can implement:
- Start Recycling and Reusing
Even business establishments can start recycling, which is one of the best sustainability practices you should have. Start by setting up recycling bins in your space where you can separate glass from plastics, papers to electronics, and others. Doing this not only keeps your office clean and organized, but you’re also making it easier for your waste collector, like Office Clearance and other similar service providers, to collect your office waste.
And if you see that some of your recyclables are still usable, you may want to transform them. For instance, you can repaint plastic bottles and use them as pots for plants in your office. You can save a lot from recycling those bottles than buying new pots.
Or, you may want to avoid using disposable plastics, especially for kitchen items. You can do so by implementing reuse and recycle policy that everyone should follow. Ask them to use reusable mugs, water bottles, utensils, and the like instead of disposables. That way, you can reduce accumulating waste.
Another excellent example of reusing office resources is to use both sides of the paper for printing or writing. By doing this, you can save a lot from frequently buying paper for your business while reducing paper waste.
- Offer Work from Home (WFH) Options
Another sustainability practice that your business can implement is to have employees work from home. The result of such is lessening commuters, which can then decrease the number of cars and drivers on the roads, thus, fostering a green commute in your organization.
While other responsibilities may require the employees’ presence in your business establishment, make the WFH option available for tasks that they can do at home. For instance, your IT support may offer their services virtually. Your accountant or bookkeeper may provide record-keeping and other financial reporting needs online, too.
By implementing this work setup, you can also eliminate some expenses related to having your employees report physically in your office.
- Save Energy
For employees working in your business establishment, let them practice saving energy. By doing this, you can add to your business’s sustainability since you’re reducing energy waste. Here are some ways you and your employees can save energy:
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- Maintain Your Systems and Equipment: When your equipment, like the heating and cooling system, is well maintained, it’ll work more efficiently. This results in lessening your running costs and saving energy.
- Switch Off Equipment That’s Not in Use: Aside from maintenance, it’s also best to turn off any office equipment that you’re not currently using. For instance, switch off the lights on rooms not being utilized, turn off computers after use, and only turn on photocopiers and printers when needed. And before all your employees go home, let them unplug all appliances or equipment if no one uses them overnight or on weekends.
- Buy Energy-Efficient Electronics: Using electronics with energy-saving capabilities, you can save on energy use that can lessen your electric bills.
- Go Digital
By going digital, you eliminate or reduce paper usage for business transactions. You can do this by making your records, files, and documentation in digital format. For instance, you can store your bookkeeping records in a cloud-based system or digital platforms instead of printing them on paper.
Moreover, with a paperless system, you and your employees can use any device like smartphones, tablets, and computers to access your files. With the help of an Internet connection, you can create, store, edit, and access them anywhere and anytime. And you can do this quickly as compared to finding a file on a stack of folders.
When you go paperless, you’re helping the environment since you’re reducing paper waste. No longer will you clutter your office spaces with reams of paper and hundreds of folders.
Moreover, you prevent CO2 production, also known as carbon footprint, from turning trees into paper. By using less paper, you’re saving more trees, resulting in removing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Going paperless may seem a small act, but imagine if all businesses practice such sustainability. It can make a big impact on the environment and in a positive way.
Conclusion
Nowadays, businesses are aiming to help the environment by implementing sustainability practices. The simple practices above are common and easy to apply as long as you orient your employees to cooperate. From recycling to going digital, your businesses will benefit greatly. Try doing them now to start seeing changes in your business.
