Sustainability has gone from an overused buzzword to a fixture of modern business practices. It has changed from a pipe dream to an achievable part of day-to-day operations for many. What’s more, consumers prefer sustainability. In order to truly win over your audience with your green initiatives, however, you have to be innovative. It simply isn’t enough to say that your business is sustainable any more — you have to produce tangible results. Learn how to get creative and make a positive impact on the environment while boosting your business at the same time.
The Importance of Sustainability in Business
Climate change is a global phenomenon that is the direct result of human activities that have trapped solar energy in Earth’s atmosphere. These adverse changes have affected nearly every aspect of the environment, from rising sea levels to increasingly hotter temperatures. While it has been a collective effort to get to this point, it also needs to be a collective effort to combat these effects.
Whether you’re in the food industry, in which the top producers pump out 630 million tons of greenhouse gases a year, or the energy industry, which accounts for 71% of all industrial emissions ever created, it’s undeniable that businesses have a large effect on the environment. Regardless of industry, it’s advantageous to take a look at your processes and find creative ways to cut back on consumption.
Creative Ways To Move Beyond the Buzzword
The first contributor to climate change that most people think of is energy consumption. This is a worthwhile place to make a difference. Your business can use less energy by investing in smart thermostats that regulate warehouse and office temperatures based on usage. You can educate staff on turning off the lights when leaving for the day. You can install energy-efficient appliances or even find ways to make your production process more energy-efficient if applicable.
While all of these efforts are noble and should be taken, there are other areas in which your business is contributing to environmental damage. A complete audit of your carbon footprint may illuminate places in need of improvement, from unsustainable packaging to irresponsible third-party vendors. The ways in which your business implements sustainability practices will be unique, but the following are some less run-of-the-mill ideas to get you started with eco-friendly brainstorming.
Encourage Alternative Transportation Like Carpooling
If your team isn’t entirely remote or they are settling back into the office routine, the commute to work is undoubtedly a contributor to harmful emissions. Find ways to circumvent this by looking into electric and hybrid vehicles, smaller cars, public transportation, biking options, and even carpooling regimens. In particular, the benefits of carpooling can be far-reaching.
Sharing a vehicle is financially responsible, cutting down on costs for the vehicles themselves, the gas, and parking fees. The carpooling coworkers can also enjoy a social boost instead of a boring commute to work, reducing auto pollution and traffic congestion at the same time. Encourage employees to share rides to work by providing set schedules and sponsoring incentives if they carpool successfully for a certain period of time. If you have company vehicles, try to opt for more fuel-efficient models — and less of them.
Practice Effective Equipment Lifecycle Management
A lesser-known contributor to energy overconsumption is ineffective equipment management. Managing equipment effectively for sustainability includes monitoring equipment, including vehicle fleets, for necessary repairs, upgrades, and maintenance. This improves the safety of your work environment, resulting in less resource use and fewer workplace accidents. Further, it cuts back on machinery that may be overworking and zapping energy in the process.
If your company deals with manufacturing of any kind, take a hard look at the byproducts of your processes. Take stock of the waste that is produced, and identify any steps that can be taken to reduce this waste. You may even find that you can swap out equipment entirely for more eco-friendly options. If your business works with manufacturers rather than producing on-site, you also have a responsibility to vet their environmental impact.
Build Circular Supply Chains
Your business is one part of a supply chain with many moving parts. When conducting your efficiency audit, identify which partners are responsible for varying aspects of the supply chain. Dive into their respective carbon footprint, and calculate that as part of your own by association.
The best way to ensure environmental responsibility is to actively create a circular supply chain. What this means is that, instead of a straight line from raw materials to product delivery and disposal, your supply chain will have a cyclical approach. The waste produced by your products comes back to the beginning of the process, starting anew and cutting down on the actual impact of that waste.
To create a circular supply chain, you should adopt practices that prioritize product longevity, repairability, and recyclability. Collaboration with suppliers and partners is crucial to sourcing materials responsibly and establishing take-back recycling programs. Additionally, technology such as blockchain and the Internet of Things can be implemented for transparency and traceability. Ultimately, a circular supply chain aims to continuously recycle and repurpose materials, ensuring minimal environmental impact while maintaining product value and reducing resource depletion.
The Future of Sustainable Business
The growing awareness and commitment to environmental and social responsibility can only positively affect the future. Sustainable businesses are integral to the success of these efforts. If you prioritize eco-friendly practices, ethical sourcing, and social impact in your business, success will follow.
Make a difference by advocating for creative sustainable practices within your workplace and community, reducing your business’ waste and carbon footprint, and staying informed about environmental and social issues. Day-to-day improvements from businesses large and small can collectively drive meaningful change in the global shift toward a more sustainable planet.
By Indiana Lee, BOSS contributor
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