It’s a standard practice these days for businesses of all sizes to develop and implement company-wide environmental policy. If you are a large business with a big workforce and a correspondingly large carbon footprint, an environmental policy is beneficial for a number of reasons: besides the obvious (and very important) environmental impact, a clear eco-strategy can cut energy costs, provide clear guidance for employees and reduce culpability in case of legal grey areas. But how to successfully design and implement these changes? While many of the items on your list will be specific to your business, there are many simple changes which can be executed within any industry to create a cost-effective, carbon-friendly working environment.
How to Create a Sustainable Business in 3 Easy Steps
Sustainability is a key watchword in modern commercialism, and creating an innovative approach to waste management and other aspects of your business could help you to gain a critical advantage in your marketplace. Consider the following steps towards achieving this:
- Consider Responsible Data Handling and Disposable Techniques
As Google can testify following its recent issues with data protection compliance, no single company or individual is immune to global data protection laws, which have been established to protect the integrity of firms and customers. Google’s stratospheric scale data protection scheme is a mammoth and understandably difficult task, but small businesses are fortunate that many tools exist which allow SMEs to create responsible data handling and management procedures that are also environmentally friendly and sustainable. Service providers such as Lombard Recycling can play a key role in this, as they can securely dispose of your confidential waste and recycle it in a sustainable manner.
- Create a Culture of Energy Efficiency
There are a number of more costly ways in which you can create a more energy efficient workplace, but before you invest in these it is worth attempting to create a culture of sustainability within your firm. After all, there is little point in spending thousands of pounds on solar panels if your employees continue to leave lights on and computers running even after they have left the building. So start small by educating staff on the environmental and cost benefits of energy efficiency, so that you can maximise the return on any subsequent investments.
- Make Recycling a Fundamental Business Goal
In terms of driving a cultural change in the business world, managers and directors also need to change their outlook on sustainability. This is an area in which small business owners can lead the way, as they recognise their sense of corporate social responsibility and make the development of a viable recycling strategy one of their primary commercial goals. This can be justified on both an environmental and cost-cutting basis, so ensure that this is a key consideration when you begin to make financial plans for 2015.
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