The well-being of the planet should be one of our primary concerns as a species and it should be reflected in everything we do, including how we run our businesses. Aside from treating the environment responsibly, this is important for another reason. Namely, it’s definitely not uncommon anymore for clients to ask if a company works with green principles in mind. After all, it’s their choice whether to give your business their trust and their money or not. In case you’re trying to run a company in a more sustainable and eco-friendly manner, here are some valuable sustainable business alternatives and advice on where to begin.
Working Remotely
The pandemic’s caught many companies unprepared, but they soon had to adapt to the new situation, which means that a vast number of people started working from home, with staff meetings replaced by online conferences. By now, everybody’s pretty much used to this type of arrangement. So, why not use this and offer your employees the option of working remotely? That way, they wouldn’t have to use their cars or even public transport, which would lower the greenhouse gas emission. This would also mean that the employees don’t have to waste their time getting to and from work, and can instead use it to do things that make them happy. Perhaps some of them would jump at the opportunity and move somewhere new, as they wouldn’t be bound by their geographical location anymore. Plus, your company would have to spend less on the daily commute, which would also benefit you financially.
Consider Commute Alternatives
If working remotely simply isn’t a possibility in your line of business, you should suggest several commuting options as sustainable business alternatives for your employees. For instance, instead of them using a car to get to work each day, perhaps you can see what kind of public-transport benefits you can offer them. If they took the bus, or even better, the train to work, they’d contribute to better air quality. Check what the transit agencies in your city can propose to your business and then talk to your employees about it. Another idea to consider is them getting to work by bike. If you bought bikes for some of your employees instead of spending on weekly or monthly transit fares, you’d save money in the long run, but also make a positive impact on the environment.
Handle Your Waste Properly
If you and everybody working for you did your best to reduce the amount of waste you create around the office, you’d be doing your part in keeping it from reaching the landfills. This can be done quite easily. Replacing paper cups, plates and cutlery in your office with reusable ones made of ceramic or glass is a good way to start. Instructing your employees to print on both sides of the printing paper is also something you can do. Furthermore, you can insist that everybody sorts out their waste, so that you recycle as much and as often as possible. In order to make this happen, you should invest in a quality waste-disposal system, such as waste chutes. These cater to needs of different facilities and can come in single or dual systems, so that you can separate the recyclable from the non-recyclable waste. They can allow you and your co-workers to get rid of any waste more efficiently and safely, and with an odor-relief vent that releases the unpleasant smell into the atmosphere and keeps your company premises odor-free.
Turn to Sustainable Materials
Whether you’re trying to pack your product or promote your company, utilizing sustainable materials to do so can make your business much greener. First of all, use as little of packaging as you can, so as not to create unnecessary waste. Next, you can get recycled paper and cardboard, organic fabrics or even some compostable packaging alternatives to put your product into. The utilization of Arka custom cardboard shipping boxes adds another layer of sustainability to your approach, demonstrating a commitment to eco-friendly practices throughout your business operations.
And when you’re trying to advertise your business, do so in an eco-friendly manner as well. As sustainable business alternatives, the shopping bags, notepads or pens with your logo on them, that you give to your clients, should be eco-friendly. In addition, skip the huge billboards that require loads of paper in favor of digital marketing, since it can actually improve the visual representation of what your business is about, while preserving the environment.
Choose Your Partners or Suppliers Mindfully
When picking other companies to do business with, do so with a green mind. First of all, when you opt for local suppliers, you shorten the distance the goods need to travel to reach you, which consequently lowers your carbon footprint. Second, if you can support a small business, perhaps one just like yours, they’ll be more inclined to assume the same environmental attitudes as you. This is why you need to make it clear that you’re looking for those partners or suppliers that are doing their best to offer sustainable business alternatives as well. Not only is this beneficial to the planet, but it also makes a huge statement, and one anybody in the business world will understand clearly – a financial one. Letting everybody know you’ll leave your money nowhere else but with a green business might entice other companies to reconsider their way of doing business and their approach to the preservation of nature.
How your company affects our planet matters greatly, so make sure that your influence on the environment is never a negative one. Switching to eco-friendly sustainable business alternatives won’t cost you too much and can even save you some money, which is why you and all of your employees should take a positive standpoint with regards to ecology in business.
