Today, running a business means more than just turning a profit. Due to the fight against climate change and the seismic change in consumers' views on greener practices, businesses of all types and sizes need to seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint all whilst keeping costs under control.
Read MoreOver the years, businesses have become more eco-conscious, adopting measures to reduce their carbon footprint and reach net zero goals. However, poor water management and water scarcity issues are not on the agenda of most companies. Unfortunately, it is an equally concerning issue. According to UNICEF, 4 billion individuals (two-thirds of the global population) deal with severe water scarcity for at least a month every year.
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Today, it has become more common to hear about sustainable companies. In most cases, these companies follow environmental policies so that their work causes less impact on the planet. Although this is a very important advance, as we are becoming aware of the consequences of our actions, companies must aim to be sustainable not only in ecological matters but in different areas.
Companies must be sustainable in social, cultural, economic terms, among others. Sustainability is about finding the balance between purpose and profit so that not only the company grows, but also its members and the community where it operates. Financial performance must go hand in hand with social and environmental performance. This is why sustainability should not be confused with philanthropy since it is not about companies donating part of their profits and obtaining short-term results, the impact of which will be lost over time.
On the contrary, being sustainable is about strategically ensuring financial and social stability. Deepak Agarwal often speaks about how you can make your business more sustainable. In essence, it is the recipe for future success.
Sustainability can bring different benefits when doing business. For example, it will project more credibility since it will let customers know that the company respects the community, the environment, the sector, etc. Additionally, it works to let your competitors, clients, see the heart of your company, and appreciate the responsibility that you’re undertaking. It shows a need to change and to keep up with new changes; as well as being able to create benefits. Whether this is using less paper, switching things to digital, or offering services that make other people’s lives more sustainable, the options are endless for businesses.
Sustainability is an alternative for business growth that positions them as institutions that work for the common good and not only for private interests. Companies must be aware of the impact of their operations and design policies and strategies that respond to common interests, and that pay back what they have taken. These decisions, of course, must be strategic so that the change and impact of sustainable policies are indeed evident.
Being sustainable is making a difference and positively impacting society. In this way, not only the union but society, in general, is empowered. The reason for being sustainable is based on the fact that companies are not institutions outside society. On the contrary, they are entities that can produce change, transform, innovate, and renew social and environmental dynamics. This is the way that you are going to drive your business forward.
It will allow you to maximize your future successes and ensure companies’ greater sustainability in the medium and long term. Sustainability then becomes a tool to achieve greater competitiveness. It’s time to start looking into the ways in which you can accomplish this. Sit down, plan with your business colleagues, and take things to the next step. Sustainability is here to stay, and you should be ready to go!
Are you looking for ways you can make your business better for the planet? Becoming a more eco-friendly business will not only help your budget but your bottom line. You’ll save money, and likely even make more money due to the fact that people are always looking for eco-friendly businesses to work with. That’s not the only reason to do this, of course - being a good business for the planet is important regardless. Many businesses have a huge carbon footprint, and the planet will benefit massively from cutting them down as much as possible. Read on for some suggestions:
Cut Down To A 4 Day Working Week
The 4-day working week is something certain European countries are adopting. Not only is it better for employee morale, but it also means reducing cars on the road, the need for public transport, and conserving energy as you don’t need your lights on, equipment plugged in, etc. Many business owners worry that they won’t get as much done, but many get the same amount of work done. Employees tend to fill the time they have, which is why many are able to get the same amount of work done in four days as five days when required.
Introduce More Remote Workers
Working from home is another great way to help the planet. If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that working from home is entirely possible for many businesses that didn’t think it was possible. You can hire freelancers to work remotely online before hiring in-house employees, or you can simply employ full-time employees using strategies like flexitime.
Work With Eco-Friendly Suppliers And Partners
When you partner with like-minded people and organizations in your community, you have an even more positive impact on the environment. For example, look at Earth Friendly Promos next time you have an event to attend or host.
Make It A Part Of Your Company Culture
Making this a part of your company culture ensures everybody is on the same page, and it helps you to attract people who are already in alignment with your ethos. You could even get ideas and input from your employees to improve further.
Recycle And Reuse
Recycling and reusing everything you can make a big difference in the long run. A company’s recycling program ensures you’re doing all you can to recycle glass and plastics, for instance. Make sure you purchase recycled items, too! Many places sell things like recycled paper and ink cartridges.
Use Green Cleaning Products
Having a clean and hygienic workplace is a must, but many of the nice smells you get from cleaning products are actually toxic. Eco-friendly products might seem expensive, but they are much healthier and better for the planet. You can also justify it by thinking about the improved health and clarity of your team. Don’t forget about the healthier planet, either!
Ensure Everybody Is On The Same Page
You can’t achieve this alone. You need to make sure everybody is on board. Make sure you’re not the only one making sustainable choices and that everybody knows what they can do to contribute! You could have a noticeboard, for example.
How will you make your business better for the planet?
The world is changing. Business is changing. And the people with whom you do business are changing. In today’s digitally-enabled world, your customers and clients (whether you operate in the B2C or B2B space) know that they can afford to be fickle. They understand that a plethora of choices is only a Google search away. And if you can’t ably demonstrate that you can meet their needs, you will lose business to your competitors. Sure, SEO plays a part too. But most consumers, especially younger consumers are willing to do their homework to find brands whose ideals and priorities align with theirs.
And a big part of this is showing that you are committed not just to turning a profit, but to turning a profit ethically. Studies show that almost ¾ of millennial consumers would rather pay more to use a business that has a strong ethical focus rather than use one that doesn’t. And if you aren’t catering to these upwardly mobile, cash-rich consumers, you’re missing out on a highly viable target market.
50 shades of ethics
There are many business owners who have found great success by providing ethically conscious consumers with options which help them to live a lower-impact and more sustainable life. Indeed, an ethical focus is no longer a novelty these days, it’s imperative.
Society and business are (thankfully) moving away from the ‘greed is a virtue’ models that have permeated since the late ‘70s and begun putting more focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The great thing about CSR is that it affords businesses a multitude of ways in which it can find more ethical ways of doing business while also helping them stay accountable to the clientele that uses them. Although treating and paying your employees well and ensuring that your customers have a direct means of holding you accountable are both vitally important, it’s also key to be able to demonstrate your eco-cred.
In these increasingly environmentally aware times, you need to be able to show that your operations are considerate of the planet we share and the finite resources that are quickly running out.
Here are some ways to do just that:
Eschew animal products
More and more consumers are going vegan (or at least trying to eat less meat) and eschewing products such as cosmetics which are tested on animals or contain materials derived from animals.
There are many ways in which you can eschew animal products from buying fewer dairy milk and using more plant milk in the break room to ensuring that none of the raw materials that go into the products you make come from animals.
Find a sustainable way to deal with your plastics
Plastic has been a ubiquitous part of modern living since the ‘50s… and our over-reliance upon it for pretty much everything we do has proven disastrous for our planet and particularly our oceans. Marine experts like Dame Ellen MacArthur predict that there will be more plastics than fish in our oceans by 2050 and documentaries like A Plastic Ocean have shown in uncompromising terms just how damaging our plastic fixation has proven to marine plant, bird and animal life.
As such, it’s vital that you deal with your plastic waste in a sustainable way, ensuring that they are duly separated and recycled by a reliable service provider. Nonetheless, recycling is still less efficient than not producing plastic waste at all.
Many businesses are investing heavily in plant-based or biodegradable alternatives to plastics in all aspects of their operations from packaging to products which bring us to...
By all means, use branded goods… but choose ethical promo items
Finally, promotional branded products are a wonderful way to create positive associations with your brand by giving people what we all want… something for nothing.
But the disposable (and unsustainable) nature of many of these products, especially those made from plastic, is no longer appealing to ethically focused consumers. Indeed, it can even put them off your brand.
The good news, however, is that no matter what you want to give away to prospective customers at trade shows and other events, there’s a more eco-friendly way to do it. Just take a look at these cool eco-alternatives which give all the value to new prospects but at none of the ecological cost. From biodegradable tote bags to reusable bamboo cups and even eco-friendly USB sticks made from sustainable bamboo, there are a wealth of ways in which you can demonstrate your ethical focus through your freebies.
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