These days, sustainability has become more than just a trend. As we continue to learn about the impact our actions are having on the environment and future generations, many of us are beginning to adopt more eco-friendly practices to reduce our personal carbon footprints. 

The chances are you’re already using low-energy bulbs at home, recycling your waste, and purchasing products from sustainable utilities providers. 

The question is, how do you take your sustainable values with you into the business world, when you decide to launch your own company? Creating a profitable business doesn’t have to mean compromising on sustainability. In fact, taking an eco-friendly approach to business can improve your chances of attracting new customers, and outperforming your competitors. Here are some tips to get you started.

Leverage Technology to Reduce Resource Waste

Technology is one of the most valuable tools we have in the modern world to help us become eco-friendlier and more sustainable. There are countless tools you can use in your business that will not only make your operations more environmentally friendly, but also help you to cut costs and improve efficiency too. Switching from paper billing and invoices to a digital accounting software will ensure you can automatically bill your customers without wasting paper and postage resources. 

Leveraging communication and collaboration tools which allow employees to work from home rather than traveling to the office can reduce the amount you spend on office overheads, while also minimizing your carbon footprint. Even taking advantage of smart plugs and sensors ensures you can switch off lights in your office environments or shut down equipment that isn’t being used by staff. 

Create an Eco-Friendly Fleet

If your business model requires the use of a fleet of vehicles, it can seem almost impossible to maintain sustainable, eco-friendly operations. After all, most cars and vans will produce several emissions and have an impact on the planet in some way. However, you can reduce the negative impact your vehicles have on the environment with a few strategies. 

You can use fleet management tools to track the efficiency of your drivers and look for ways to cut down on fuel expenses and excess driving. You can even investigate alternative, cleaner vehicles, such as electric trucks and lorries, or hybrid cars. Not only are these vehicles make for a safer planet, but they can be more efficient than standard vehicles, making them excellent for reducing the long-term operating costs in your company. 

Recycle and Compost

If you already live a relatively sustainable lifestyle at home, there’s a good chance you’re already taking advantage of the benefits recycling and composting can offer. By recycling and composting materials whenever you can, you can significantly reduce your environmental impact, and create a more sustainable organization. What’s more, composting and recycling practices can also help you to save money on the disposal costs associated with managing business waste. 

As well as having composting and recycling bins located throughout your organization for employees to use, you can also look for ways to reduce waste in the first place. Invest in more durable products which are less likely to break down over time. Alternatively, you could find new uses for otherwise wasted materials. 

Update Your Office Building

If you have an office building or you’re investing in another form of real estate, such as a store for your company, or a warehouse, then it’s worth looking for ways to make the property more sustainable too. You might consider installing solar panels onto your property, so you can access a more resilient, eco-friendly form of energy. This will demonstrate your commitment to protecting the earth and could also save you money on your energy bills. 

Working with architects and builders to create greener office spaces can be a good idea too. You could consider investing in energy saving windows which help to reduce the loss of heat from inside of your offices and minimize your energy bills. 

Run an Eco-Friendly Business

With the four steps above, you can start building a more sustainable, environmentally friendly business, capable of capturing the attention and loyalty of your target audience. Not only can sustainability help you to attract a wider number of customers, but as you can see from the options above, it can help to save you money on operating costs too.

Published by HOLR Magazine.