Sustainable Businesses – What Can You Do to Increase Your Sustainability?

Looking for ways in which you can improve sustainability levels at your business? There are several approaches to consider:

Evaluate Meeting Costs: Consider making a phone call instead of holding a meeting, send an email over posting, and carry out virtual meetings to reduce the costs associated with business trips.

Minimize Physical Materials: Archive computer records rather than print records, advertise on your website and through social media rather than through physical brochures. Finally, email any promotional material rather than printing it off and posting it.

Limit Waste: Re-use old envelopes when able, have employees use their own coffee mugs, have printer cartridges refilled rather than replaced and opt for purchasing recycled stationery supplies over new.

Recycle: Always recycle anything you aren’t able to reuse. Be sure your office has sufficient recycling bins in in areas where your employees will use them.

Turn it Off: While this may seem silly, too often we forget to turn off lights, computers, printers, and appliances when they aren’t in use. Every little bit helps in reducing your bills and saving energy.

Outsource: Reduce your server requirements and lower your power costs by using cloud computing solutions.

Reduce: Keep your air conditioner down. Did you know that by lowering the temperature by only one degree on a warm day can raise your energy costs by 10 percent?  Lower your energy consumption even further by installing automatic lighting sensors, driving hybrid cars for your fleet vehicles.

Stay Green: Obtain key green credentials by creating a sustainable supply policy with specific guidelines, and contact your current suppliers to see what sustainable products and services they offer. Ask printers for recycled paper, and replace outdated equipment with high-energy efficiency models designed to last.

Lastly, closely examine your financial business expenses; determine where you are spending money unnecessarily. If stationery and paper supplies are costing you too much, set up a task force to lower your paper waste. If employees travelling costs are increasing, look into whether video conferencing is a possible alternative.

When you improve your sustainability efforts, not only will you save money, your business will appeal to more customers who are looking to partner with other sustainable companies for goods or services.