Building a socially responsible business doesn’t have to cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, nor does it require a lot of human resources. Advancements in technology have made it easier for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, cutback on waste and maintain operations that improve their organisations profits over the long-term.
Many women have good intentions to improve the eco-friendliness of their organisation, but need to feel reassured that they are approaching this in the right way.
In this post, we will share some ways to improve the sustainable operations of your business so that you will have the confidence to boldly announce eco-friendly plans that will not only have a positive effect on the environment, but a positive effect on productivity and overall profits.
Solar lighting
Leasing a building that has been designed with green and solar initiatives in mind can save costs for your business and improve productivity. These buildings will be designed in a way that maximises the amount of light into rooms. This could be through the use of skylights, solar tubes or large windows. The exposure to natural light should improve employee morale and productivity, thus improving profits for the business.
Smart heating systems.
Whenever people feel too hot or too cold, they immediately run to the air conditioner or heater to get some relief. Investing in the wrong solution will burn a lot of energy and cost your business thousands of dollars in costs every year.
Look into solutions such as smart thermostats, large fans and insulation, which will minimise electrical costs while improving the comfort of the working environment.
LED lights
LED lights are one of the best solutions for improving the sustainability of your business. Most businesses are linked to an electrical grid whose power supply comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Migrating your power source to renewable energy suppliers would be ideal, however reducing the consumption of energy through lighting technology is the most simple way to make a drastic impact.
LED lights can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% and minimise lighting costs by up to 60%. This will free up cash within the business, which can be reinvested for growth.
Additionally, some LED lights can replicate a brightness similar to sunlight. This improved lighting minimises accidents and health risks within the workplace, thus boosting the overall productivity.
Ink cartridge recycling
Your business probably does a lot of printing and goes through a few ink cartridges every year. What most people don’t realise is the environmental impact that used ink cartridges can have once they reach the end of their lifecycle. The chemicals within the cartridges contain carcinogens, which can contaminate ecosystems and food chains and affect people’s health.
The easiest solution is to partner with an ink cartridge supplier that has partnerships with ethical recyclers. Suppliers like Cartridges Direct work with Cartridges 4 Planet Ark and have an agreement with Australia Post to send used ink cartridges to recyclers to process at no cost to the business.
Encourage minimalism.
One of the biggest deterrents of waste is by implementing a minimalist culture within your organisation. This can motivate people within the organisation to reuse and recycle items, which will ultimately minimise the amount of business purchases and distractions that impact productivity.
For example, placing reusable items such as cups, cutlery and towels will eradicate these costs annually. Additionally, encouraging staff to view and save their work on the cloud will greatly reduce printing and storage costs.
These are a few ways you can implement eco-friendly initiatives into your organisation and have a positive impact on the both the environment and your organisation’s profitability. Give it a try today!