Business Sustainability: Five Ways Any Business Can Reduce Their Footprint
Business sustainability goes beyond the bottom line. Carbon emissions and energy costs are a problem for everyone. Businesses of every size face similar challenges in operating efficiently and balancing their values. Luckily, investing in green initiatives offers both cost savings and empowers the whole organization by being a part of the green solution. Not every company is in a position to build their microgrid or install a solar array, but there are some concrete things you can do to play your part in the fight against climate change.
Business Sustainability
Around the world, businesses of all sizes are reevaluating what it means to be a company. From the move to an accelerated focus on ecommerce, remote and hybrid workforces, and questioning the need for a physical office in the first place, business leaders are facing any number of important decisions with long-lasting consequences. This is also the perfect time to make sure your organization’s sustainability goals play a central role in the future of operations. Whether you’re a multi-national corporation or a mom-and-pop retailer just off Main Street, USA, you can play a role and push your entire industry forward by starting small.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Simple, right? But too often, businesses don’t emphasize the little things. Coordinating a recycling program and checking that it is being followed should be an assigned weekly task to one of your team leaders. Join or create a composting program, clearly mark designate recycling bins in the building, and include facts and figures on internal communications that reflect the importance of things like reducing food waste and recycling cans, paper, and plastic.
Invest in LEDs
Every business has to turn on the lights. Contact an expert to assess your lighting environment to explore more intelligent and efficient ways to offer your employees and customers quality, true color lighting that is substantially less expensive to operate. If fewer employees are coming in to work these days, experiment with portable walls and reconfigured floor plans to reduce the square footage of the office that may need lighting in the first place. Don’t forget about automatic dimmers that can detect room occupancy or account for natural lighting as well. Some studies show a 20% reduction in energy costs with LEDs, with a 5% increase in sales in retail environments.
Purchase Carbon Emission Credits
As your business commits to reducing its carbon footprint, consider purchasing carbon credits that offset your quarterly or annual impact. Carbon credits do not change the amount of carbon your organization produces, but they do show your investment in sustainability and their costs will decrease as your carbon output decreases.
Invest in renewables
Several federal, state and local initiatives offset the cost of adding renewable energy to a business. From adding a few solar panels to offset energy expenses to implementing energy storage to help during peak energy usage, investing in new technology is one of the best opportunities to pay ROI with a green commitment.
Upgrade HVAC
Heating and cooling are expensive propositions, especially during the summer and winter months. Offer employees a comfortable and productive environment more efficiently with regular maintenance and smart upgrades the improve filtration and circulation. Especially with COVID-19 and flu season still a daily concern, it’s also a smart time to explore options for bipolar ionization to reduce airborne pathogens by 99.9%.
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What sustainability commitments is your company making? Let us know by email and we’ll share some of the best examples!