Did you know that the 33.3 million businesses in the U.S. that fit under the small business heading account for 99.9% of all U.S. companies?
Businesses face many challenges, and not all of these companies successfully meet the varied challenges, which is why many flame out and cease operations. But if you offer quality products or services, stay on top of finances, and meet customer needs so they recognize and appreciate your unique value proposition, you should be okay.
One challenge increasingly facing businesses these days, however, is environmental stewardship. Many companies want to be more eco-friendly — and so do their employees. But how should they go about it?
Here are five things to consider if you want to run a more environmentally friendly company.
1. Reduce Energy Consumption
One of the best ways to be a more eco-friendly and sustainable business is to lessen energy consumption. For instance, if there’s sufficient natural lighting, you won’t have to rely on artificial lighting as much throughout the day. And when you do need to use light fixtures, you can switch from incandescent light bulbs, which are notoriously inefficient, to LED light bulbs, which are more energy efficient.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED light bulbs use as much as 90% less energy and last as much as 25% longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs.
You can also get appliances and equipment that are more energy efficient, and it’s a good idea to get workers to switch off lights, equipment, and appliances when they’re not needed.
All of these things will help your company to slash energy consumption.
2. Switch to Renewable Energy
Another option is to switch to renewable energy. While going this route may require a big upfront expense, it could be worth it in the long run and deliver a strong return on investment. Whether you go with wind power, solar power, or some other renewable energy option, it could be an effective way to reduce your company’s carbon footprint.
3. Encourage Remote Work
According to USA Today, 22% of the workforce in the U.S. will be remote by next year. During the COVID-19 era lockdowns where many employees worked from home, you may have implemented a work-from-home program at your company.
However, some businesses returned to their brick-and-mortar offices after the lockdown lifted and things went back to normal or closer to normal than before the lockdown measures.
You may want to encourage remote work since allowing staff members to work from home can reduce your company’s carbon footprint. They can work from home rather than operate their vehicles to get to work. Even taking transit to get to work contributes to the corporate carbon footprint. It might not be as big a hit as driving a vehicle with a gas or diesel engine. But commuting in any way will negatively impact your company’s carbon footprint. A work-from-home strategy can shrink the carbon footprint.
4. Go Paperless
Yet another way to become a more sustainable business is to go paperless. You can use digital tools for most functions in the workplace. It can also improve productivity since people won’t have to search for print documents. All they’ll need to do is search for the digital files on their computers.
5. Use Eco-Friendly Products
It also makes sense to use eco-friendly products. While it might sometimes cost a bit more to buy environmentally-friendly office products and supplies, it can facilitate the push to be a more eco-friendly business.
Buying products made from recycled materials makes sense — and the good news is there are many options if you want renewable products.
For instance, if you need advanced materials and ceramics for industry and energy storage, some businesses recycle industrial waste to engineer inert alumino silicate additives for industrial applications. That’s one example of how companies can create useful products by recycling or repurposing industrial waste.
Businesses are more concerned about the environment than they’ve ever been, and one reason for this is that their employees demand that the companies they work for do just that. But it’s more than that. Companies realize that sustainability can increase profitability. So, it’s a win-win.