How to Make Each Department in Your Business Greener

Julie Starr • Aug 26, 2021



The world is changing. Consumers are demanding more sustainable products and services, and businesses are feeling the pressure to change. But, as a business owner, you may not be sure where to start to make your company greener. The good news is that there are plenty of ways for you to get started! In this blog post, we will discuss ten ways your business can transact greener in each department – from marketing to HR, so read on!

Marketing

As marketing is often the face of a company, changing your approach to how you market can make a big difference. Instead of using traditional paper flyers or postcards, why not try an electronic flyer and email? If you insist on sending out letters via snail mail, consider buying recycled paper products instead – there are plenty available these days. 

Another way marketers can transact greener is by working on their digital presence . Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great ways for businesses to market themselves. And, with the major leaps being made in the world of digital marketing, you can now market your company and reach a much larger audience than would never have been possible with traditional marketing methods.

HR

Many companies already have a green policy in place – for example, requiring employees to print double-sided or only printing when necessary, etc., but did you know that if your business is big enough, then it could be possible to offset your carbon footprint? The easiest way of doing this is by using an online service called ‘ My Climate. ‘ All you need to do is register with them and purchase one of their packages which will allow you to play a part in reforesting land, so even though as they say, “you can’t change the past,” at least you’re helping keep our future greener!

Another great way HRs can transact greener within their department is through recycling old office equipment like PCs and printers. According to Environmental Protection, the UK alone produces around 15 million tonnes of electronic waste a year, so it’s best to dispose of old equipment properly. The good news is that manufacturers like Epson and Apple have a ‘take back scheme’ which allows you to recycle both new and old products!

If your business does decide on a recycling scheme for office supplies, then make sure you handle it correctly by ensuring anything containing hazardous material (like batteries) are sent off-site where they can be disposed of with specialist companies safely, as well as making sure that everything else gets shredded before being recycled – this stops any confidential data from falling into the wrong hands!

Logistics

When it comes to making a company more green, logistics is where most people get discouraged as they think there’s not much they can do. However, this isn’t the case! Firstly make sure your business has joined initiatives like The Carbon Trust or Climate Care, which allow you to offset carbon emissions when transporting goods around. 

This means that whether you’re sending out one package or several, any negative impact on the environment will be balanced, so even though you’re still using natural resources to send items in bulk, by joining these schemes, you are at least helping keep our planet cleaner overall! Another part of logistics that often gets overlooked is the packaging. Still, if carefully planned, companies can reduce their waste significantly without jeopardizing service quality – for example, having boxes with pre-cut holes can be an excellent way to ensure your items are secure and prevent too much excess packaging!

Sustainable energy sources

When it comes to making your company more green, sustainable energy sources are an excellent place to begin because they’re easy and cheap (and in some cases even free) too! For example, let’s say you own a warehouse or office building that has large windows – if the sun is shining, then why not use solar panels from https://jrcousa.com/commercial-solar-panels/ instead of regular electricity? Even though these may initially seem expensive, just think about how much money will be saved on bills as well as helping save our planet so both us and future generations can live peacefully. Plus with government grants available for small businesses who install renewable technologies, there really isn’t any reason why every business shouldn’t invest in this.

Remember, some small changes can make big differences, so don’t feel like this is something that has to cost lots of money or take up much time because sustainable energy sources are here and they’re ready now. All we have to do is reach out and grab them with both hands! 

Sales

One of the first things that people think about when it comes to making their business greener is recycling paper and plastic cups at events. While this will help, there are actually many other ways you can transact greener in your sales department by thinking outside the box! For example, if all or a few of your staff have company cars, then why not switch them from petrol/diesel engines to an electric model? This means they’ll emit less carbon dioxide, plus as long as these models meet specific safety criteria (like having sufficient range for each journey), they’re also exempt from road tax, so employees could save money! You may need some convincing, but trust me – electric vehicles really are up there with cars now. Since most cities are introducing clean air zones (where older, more polluting vehicles are banned from entering), it could be good to make the switch before legislation is enforced!

Another way your company can transact greener in sales is by using recyclable pens. Instead of throwing away old biros that have run out or broken, why not just refill them with new ink? Although this may seem like an impractical task, there are actually websites online which specialize in selling refills, and if they’re purchased once every few months rather than buying brand new pens, you’ll save yourself money as well as helping our planet too!

Production

When it comes to making a business more green, production can seem like the most daunting task as there are so many things you need to consider. However, don’t worry because while this may be true for big companies with large factories and lots of employees, if your company is smaller, then you’ve got even more of an incentive since less work means fewer resources will be needed! 

So what can you do? Well, firstly remember where possible that recycling waste materials from one department into another is cheaper than buying new products (and often better quality) – after all, did you know that recycled paper costs on average 20% less than newly harvested wood pulp which saves money but also uses far less energy? Plus, let’s not forget about carbon emissions – recycling paper uses 65% less energy than making it from new wood pulp, so it is a win-win situation.

Packaging

Another way your company can transact greener in production is by making sure all your packaging has as little excess material included. Although it may seem attractive to have a box that’s big enough for the product inside plus some free space, most of this will end up being thrown away, and if you supply just one item, then why spend money on something which won’t be used? Plus, don’t forget – recycling cardboard takes less energy than creating new boxes, so using leftover materials would save even more! 

By utilizing the above tips, you’ll have a greener business that focuses on sustainability as much as profit in no time!

By Julie Starr 07 Oct, 2024
Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.
By Julie Starr 04 Oct, 2024
Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.
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