Every day, society moves towards sustainability; from electric cars to energy-efficient light bulbs, sustainability has become one of the largest trends of the decade. It does, however, extend beyond everyday life and can have significant contributions to the profitability and efficiency of your business. You can implement sustainability goals for your company that will help save you time, money, and resources.
This blog post is going to introduce some of the ways that you can bring sustainability into your business, but there are countless ways to do so. We encourage you to be creative and see the ways your business could specifically grow towards a sustainable future, and if you need help, it is always a good idea to ask a professional.
Step one: understanding what sustainability is
‘Sustainability’ is a word thrown around all over social media and the news, and is used in a variety of contexts. This may make it hard to understand what sustainability means in the context of your business, but a simple definition may help:
So while sustainability does directly tie to the environment and making smart choices for the future, it also helps provide an underlying concept to the overarching goal of any business: long-term success. Whether your business is large or small, making smart choices now so that your future is not compromised is essential.
Practical steps toward sustainability
You understand sustainability, but that doesn’t mean that your team does. Start out by explaining what sustainability is, and how it could help benefit the lives of everyone involved. If your team backs you on your decision, your implementation of sustainable choices will be smoother and easier.
One of the best places to begin when looking at the sustainability of you business is analysing some of your utility costs. Is your heating system modern and set up sustainably? Your business should be using ‘smart’ thermometers (those that maintain temperatures at a comfortable level based on staff activity and outside weather) and should be set at recommended temperatures. For offices, this value lies between 19-21ºC. By reducing your office temperature, you will save money on utility costs, plus you could help contribute to cutting global fuel consumption.
“One of the best places to begin when looking at the sustainability of you business is analysing some of your utility costs.”
The next time you are in your office, take a look at your lighting. Are you using updated light-sensing photocells and smart light switches? Light-sensing photocells adjust light output based on natural light, and smart light switches control it based on staff presence. You can also make sure to replace older, outdated fluorescent tube lights to newer ones. By doing this, you can lower energy costs and usage by up to 60!
Have you considered what objects in your office or storage places are still using energy even while you’re sleeping? Computer monitors, printers, vending machines, and coffee makers are often among the main culprits; they contribute enough energy usage in one year to make over 8.000 cups of tea!
By looking into the choices that your business is making when it comes to sustainability, you can lower your costs but also make smart choices for the environment. A small investment now can produce a great reward in the future!
