It’s not a new topic – green initiatives have been a point of discussion in many different industries for years. But you’ve seen the scandals. The Great Barrier Reef is in trouble with dredging, Gorman got in trouble recently for not being transparent about their “sustainable material suppliers”.
These issues in the media have sparked the question – what can we be doing for sustainability? If you don’t have an answer but know you want to find it, look no further than these four tips.
1. Environmentally Friendly Services
External services are a necessary part of a business. From the cleaning service you choose to the coffee company that delivers your beans, one way to tackle the big environment problem is knowing you support ethical and conscientious services as well. Organisations like AMC Commercial Cleaning provide an example of a company that goes one better to make sure they’re conservationists as well as cleaners.
2. Strive for Awards
People tend to respond better to tasks and initiatives when there is a clear, mutual goal in sight. Striving to win an award is a great way to get the whole team on-board and engaged. Just as there are awards for the best food, or best customer service, there are now awards out there that commend the environmental efforts of business too. When a team can see what’s in it for them it turns another tedious “Go Green” day in the office to a dedicated campaign amongst the office community.
3. Softcopy is the new Hardcopy
Before you print something ask yourself: “Is this something I can email instead? Can we look at this mock-up on the projector or a computer screen rather than giving away handouts?” Nine times out of ten, the answer is “Yes we can”.
The days of hardcopy is phasing out as more businesses move towards the digital age. Look towards using your projectors, or having people bring their laptops or tablets with them to meetings instead. It’s a very simple but successful way to reduce your paper waste and impress visitors and clients, too.
4. Achieve More with Like-Minded People
The crusade doesn’t have to be on your shoulders alone. Find businesses with some common ground near you. Whether they share the building or are in a similar market, having more people on board means you can create even bigger initiatives, fundraisers and larger scale activities to make your mark in the fight for the environment.
Takeaway
It’s often difficult to identify contributions you can make to directly influence the world in a positive way, but if you can implement a few of these ideas then you’re heading in the right direction. Does your business go the extra mile to reduce its environmental impact? Share your tips and tricks with us!