Is Your Business Eco-Friendly?

The world we live in has changed dramatically over the last forty years, and with it, businesses have had to adapt, learn, and grow. The consumer is placing more demands on us to be quicker, cheaper, and now, more sustainable. Understanding consumers' needs are essential for longevity in today’s world, so are you doing enough?

It’s never been more critical for companies to build sustainability into their culture. Ensuring they channel efforts into ecological and social responsibilities. It’s no longer acceptable to use wasteful packaging, the public wants to move away from plastic, and your carbon footprint could have a significant impact on your turnover. Demand for core values within a business to change has been so high that industry leaders have had to make some significant changes in their working day. 

McDonald's and Burger king have moved away from the plastic straw after the internet lit up with campaigns that forced major players to invest in innovative solutions. Leading retail giants Walmart, IKEA, and H&M are working with their supply chains to reduce waste and improve material usage while ensuring local labor conditions within their suppliers are improved. Many companies have looked into 3D printing as a sustainable manufacturing process too, coming up with ways to cut down material waste, particularly through the prototype stage. Click here to see how 3D prototyping works. 

Consumers are one of our stakeholders and how they think, feel, and behave should drive your marketing and your actions. Now, businesses can be held accountable by the public via social media, the people have a voice, and they are not afraid to tell you when you are unhappy. It’s essential to stay ahead of your competitors; however, working with other businesses in your sector could help generate more significant impacts across your whole industry. This, in itself, could help improve your relationship with your target audience. 

Highlight areas within your business where you could make changes. Whether it is within your packing, production, or sales, there are multiple ways you can make a difference. Research what is available and see if you could reduce your waste. Speak to your suppliers to discover how they are making a move to a more eco-friendly world. If your product is being made overseas, look at the costs of having it manufactured closer to home. Invest some money and time into social projects to help people in low-income areas.  And make sure your business is operationally set up to keep you on the path toward those goals. For instance, if you are a player in the agriculture sector, looking to scaling your commercial cannabis cultivation; you could delve deeper into sustainable practices like organic farming or water conservation and energy-efficient lighting systems. These changes are not only good for the environment but may also contribute to higher product quality and more recognition of your brand.

Most importantly, communicate with your consumers. Highlight what changes you are making, talk about your future commitments, and then ask them for their opinion. What would they like to see your industry do? 

Now is the time to act, because when the consumer uses their voice, if they feel they aren’t heard, they will walk away. It’s not only vital for the planet that you step up and become a more sustainable business, but it’s also critical for the future success of your company, your staff, and your stakeholders. So look after the planet and ensure your future. 

Are You in a Green Team?

Image credit - Pixabay 

Are you looking for more ways to be environmentally friendly? Do you currently work in an office without a green initiative? Big companies are becoming more and more environmentally responsible, particularly as this is something consumers are seeking out. But what is going on behind the scenes?

To make a difference, we all need to work together, and here are a few ways you can encourage your office to go green. 

Go Paperless

This might not be entirely achievable, depending on the nature of your business, but in every situation where you are currently printing or using paper, it’s worth thinking – is this 100% necessary? A lot of paper gets wasted in office and, although often recycled, it’s better to avoid using – and wasting – it in the first place. You can send things that would usually be printed via email and use online forms and file-sharing sites to cut down. 

Get a Desk Plant 

We all know that plants and trees are air purifying, so why not bring a little greenery into the office? Not only will they clean the air, but a few desk plants dotted about make for a more cheerful office atmosphere.

Digitalize

The more you can work and train away from handouts and textbooks, the better for the environment. You will be able to find a corporate training platform that can provide you with the training and development you are looking for in your team in a wholly paperless way.

 Turn it Down

We know offices are never the right temperature. You feel like either someone from accounts is always opening the window, or else it’s HR cranking up the thermostat as high as it will go. Although you won’t be able to work in an office that is completely unbearable temperature-wise, try going down a few degrees at a time. Get everyone prepared so they can bring in jumpers if it’s winter and invest in some communal hot drinks to keep the cold at-bat.

 Have a Monthly Challenge

 One of the best ways to motivate your members of staff is to introduce a little friendly competition. Discuss a monthly challenge that you can take on as a team. You could all decide to give up plastic water bottles, or disposable coffee cups. How about everyone commits to turning off their PCs before heading out the door? You could even go as far as to get sponsorship for it and donate the proceeds to an environmental charity.

Work from Home

Sounds too good to be true, right? But if everyone in the office worked from home one day per week, that gets rid of the carbon travel footprint for an entire team of people. You can use Skype for meetings, which is becoming a much more standard way of conducting chats with employees who work remotely. 

These are just a few ways you can reduce your impact on our planet in the office and start to work together as a team to recycle and look after the environment.