It shouldn’t be news to anyone that climate change is one of the most pressing problems facing our world nowadays. Its effects are beginning to be felt and action must be taken quickly to mitigate the worst effects of this process. To this end, there are many ways in which your business can make an impact by focusing on everything from printer ink to recycling and waste reduction.
As a business owner, it’s crucial that you are aware of the obvious and also the not-so-obvious ways of how to move your business toward sustainability. Companies around the globe are making changes to lower their carbon footprint and contribute towards a greener future for the planet. If you want your business to be part of the positive eco-friendly change while building your brand as a sustainable symbol, then now is the time to take action.
Let’s take a closer look at just a few key ways that you can positive changes in your business towards a more sustainable future.
Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Having the right company mindset is critical when making sustainable changes in your business. It is important to see this shift as beneficial for your company as well as for the environment. Not only will moving towards sustainable business practices improve your brand image in the public eye, but many of the changes outlined here can also save you valuable time and money.
To begin, ensure that you establish a company framework for your environmental goals and communicate your sustainability plans to your staff. If everyone is on the same page, you can improve the chance that the changes you want to make will feel important and become a cornerstone of your day-to-day business operations.
Source Materials And Production Appropriately
It is critical to practice what you preach once you have established clear sustainable goals for your business. This means that you should embark on the quest of finding sustainable sources of the raw materials you use in your production process. Auditing your supply chain periodically can ensure that you do not continue to procure materials from those who do not share your concern for the environment.
Your production processes themselves can also likely be tweaked to be more sustainable. Upgrading your physical capital and infrastructure to more contemporary energy-efficient designs can be expensive upfront, but you can be sure that these investments will pay off through the savings they will generate in the longer term.
If your products are delivered to end users with a great deal of packaging, it can also be beneficial to examine less resource-intensive forms of distribution either by reducing the amount of packaging per unit or by opting for recyclable or sustainable materials for this purpose.
Print With The Environment In Mind
Business printing processes can also be altered to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of your company. Perhaps the most significant impact in the regard can come from upgrading your printing equipment to Energy Star certified variants if this is not the case in your company already. These machines use significantly less power than their counterparts which will also save you money in the long-run.
Some other smaller changes can include using paper that is derived from recycled materials and using refillable ink and toner cartridges. These options may seem minor in comparison, but in aggregate they can make a large difference in cutting down on your e-waste.
Finite Resources, Infinite Possibilities
Implementing sustainable business practices in your business is more important than ever. It is critical that everyone plays a role in cutting back on their carbon footprint to avert a climatic catastrophe. Perhaps you will even come up with some of your own novel ideas on how to reduce waste in your industry. Sharing these ideas with the broader business community can help you to make a real difference and set your business up as one who really cares.