With the whole world trying to go green, collective initiatives are as important as your individual efforts. What better way to start than your workplace?
Doing so can not only make your office environmentally-sustainable, it will also reduce costs through lower utility bills, in addition to improving the health and morale of your employees.
Working towards sustainability will help your company achieve its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals and instil confidence and trust in your shareholders as well as the public.
Moreover, undertaking eco-conscious efforts as a group can be fun and help in team building activities which is bound to improve morale and professional relationships.
Here are a few sustainable business practices that you can adopt today to improve your tomorrow:
1) Incentivize Employees to Use More Sustainable Transportation
Encourage and incentivize employees to carpool, use public transportation such as public buses, metros, or even ride to work on a bike if possible.
Switching to EV vehicles is a good way to minimise overusing fossil fuels that are already depleted and extremely harmful to the environment as well as our health. Furthermore, carpooling in EV vehicles can take your sustainable efforts up by several notches.
2) Zero-Waste Break Rooms
Traditionally, office break rooms are a hub for generating a lot of waste on a daily basis which puts a lot of pressure on the natural resources.
Here’s how you can do your part towards a zero waste break room:
– Replace all the disposable cutlery with reusable and recyclable cutlery such as coffee mugs, water cups, forks, spoons etc.
– Undertake composting efforts for all the food waste.
3) Use Renewable Energy
Lower your firm’s carbon footprint by gradually switching to renewable sources of energy in phases. It can be expensive initially, however, think of it as a long-term investment that will make your workspace self-sufficient for its energy needs and guarantee substantial savings.
4) LED Lighting
LED lights last 25 times longer and use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. All prudent business firms always opt for LEDs because of their longevity and energy-efficiency. This ensures that the business can help the environment while cutting down significantly on its power and maintenance costs.
5) Switch To Eco-Friendly Search Engines
Yes, you heard that right. Your choice of the search engines used in your office can make an invaluable contribution to the world.
Nowadays, search engine companies have taken innovative initiatives to make efforts towards saving the planet. Switch to search engines such as www.blackle.com that saves energy for every search or www.ecosia.org that plants a tree for every search. The best part is that doing so is convenient and free, thereby bringing you one step closer to being eco-friendly.
Written by Gagan Dhawan
