Not only do businesses have a social and environmental responsibility to be as green as possible, many businesses are finding that their employees have a strong and compelling desire to do what they can to reduce their environmental footprint. There are now so many ways businesses can ‘go green’ – environmentally friendly shopping bags, education and energy-saving devices are just some of the ways businesses can make changes and implement environmentally sound practices.
In many work places, recycling, reusing and reducing have become ingrained in work culture and practices. Employees generally feel positive and motivated to engage in environmentally friendly behaviours. However, in order to make changes that are effective, they must be simple, easy to implement and simple and easy for people to follow.
Here we give ten straightforward ways for businesses to behave in even more environmentally friendly ways.
1) Cutting back on the electricity used in the office is one way for a business to be more green. A range of eco-friendly products are available, including LED lamps that are approximately 90% more energy efficient in their use of electricity than incandescent bulbs.
2) Consider using specialised software products in your business that are designed to switch off computers at the end of each day or reduce the number of pages that are printed when printing directly from the web. Programs such as these are significant in reducing energy consumption and other wastage and are easily participated in by employees.
3) Invest in your people by offering ‘green education’. People at all levels and of varying duties will benefit from seminars, conferences and other education programs that demonstrate simple and effective ways for workplaces to be more environmentally friendly.
4) Quality control programs can teach companies how to reduce their waste and simultaneously reduce errors that are made. Such programs also offer insight into new processes, materials and resources and help businesses to identify areas for improvement and strategies that the business can employ to operate in truly environmentally friendly ways.
5) It is a great idea for companies to inspect and review their IT assets. Computer companies are today offering green solutions that help to cut down power consumption and, in doing so, replace and upgrade old equipment.
6) Companies that truly embrace and promote ways to ‘go green’ sometimes designate a section of the office to environmental information and suggested ways for living, working and enjoying recreation activities that are environmentally friendly. For example, in this space it would be relevant to include advertising or promotional materials that support other companies selling organic and environmentally sustainable products or provide environmentally friendly shopping bags and paper bags.
7) Companies can host ‘green’ events throughout the year and encourage employee involvement in a range of pursuits. Walk or pedal to work days or days where staff clean up in the local area are just two popular initiatives that businesses may facilitate.
Offering scholarships or providing awards for innovative ways to recycle, reduce waste and reuse resources is an effective strategy for encouraging employee involvement and promoting ‘green’ behaviours.
9) If your business is serious about going green and really walks its talk, partner with other companies that share your green approach. Doing so consolidates your enterprise’s commitment to operating in environmentally friendly and sustainable ways.
10) Incentive programs that support staff to find and educate others about ways to go green at the office are also a great idea that can help to build collegiality and morale. Such programs need not be complicated or expensive.
‘Going green’ is something that a number of workplaces say that they want to do, but when priorities compete, intention to be environmentally friendly can lose emphasis. Businesses can make important changes that may seem as small as choosing ‘green’ paper bags or asking employees to power off their machines at the end of the day. It is important that companies that really want to make a difference maintain their commitment and see their reduced environmental impact as a feature of the company that enhances its appeal, functioning and ultimate success.
