What Are Elements of the Most Sustainable Business Practices?

Julie Starr • Jan 16, 2022

There are two words that will influence the direction of business and industry from mid-Century onwards; those two words are “economy” and “sustainability.” Economy refers to how efficient we can make our industries, and sustainability relates to efficiency over time. In this article, we take a look at some of the indispensable business practices for today and tomorrow.

Alternative Transport

Prior to the roll-out of full digital integration for businesses, travel was still at the forefront of many industries. Sometimes it’s still necessary to fly to lo another location for a business meeting, but the need for it is dwindling quickly with the reliability of digital conference solutions.

Nowadays, there are plenty of alternatives to flying. For instance, your employees could take the train which has far lower carbon emissions or resolve not to travel at all and work out digital solutions. If flying is the only option, you need to make sure you are offsetting the carbon.

Digital Integration

Digital integration sometimes refers to the integration of digital devices and platforms, but it can also mean the integration of digital technologies into businesses instead of the carbon-heavy methods of the past. Digital integration is now happening rapidly and needs to be embraced.

Whether you need a method for interacting with colleagues or business partners on a daily basis or a system to make your business more efficient and sustainable, there are digital solutions that can help. So, don’t invest in practices that cost the earth; go digital instead!

The Six Sigma Method

When a business is more efficient, it contributes to sustainability. Less wasted resources in the commercial processes means that business efficiency is not only good for revenue streams, but it is also good for sustainability. One such method is the Six Sigma Method for efficiency.

The Six Sigma Method was introduced in the early eighties through Motorola and has since been used by other major brand names such as General Electric. Boeing, and Toshiba. The Six Sigma Method is a form of goal setting to pare down your business processes to improve them.

Off-setting Carbon

Modern digital solutions mean that carbon-heavy flights are less viable in today’s business world, but that doesn’t mean that businesses don’t need industry flights now and then. Flying is one of the largest contributors to global carbon output, adding around 25% extra to the air.

If you need to fly, then make sure you offset your carbon by planting trees or investing in carbon-neutral projects. Not only is this practice needed to help governments achieve the global climate targets, but it’s also necessary for the image of your business and personal contribution.

Energy Alternatives

The quantity of carbon in the atmosphere is the biggest concern as we move into the middle of the century; as carbon in the atmosphere grows, the temperature continues to rise via the greenhouse effect, which is harmful to life on the planet and endangers many species.

The good news is that we have alternatives to the carbon-heavy practices of the past. Instead of burning significant quantities of fossil fuels to drive industries, we can switch to sustainable alternatives such as electric power from renewable energy sources. It’s best for business.

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Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

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.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

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.