The mark of an environmentally friendly business

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It’s no secret that environmental friendliness is becoming an increasingly important concern for businesses of all sizes.

Going green makes sense from a financial perspective too – cutting down on waste and energy consumption can help your organisation operate more efficiently. Read on for three key ways that your company can make environmentally-friendly changes that could have a big impact on your bottom line.

environmentally-friendly business

Go paperless

Paper is one of the key sources of waste in any organisation – but thanks to technology, it’s never been easier to cut down on how much you use.

We already know to think twice before we print off emails, but there are many other ways to reduce paper consumption in the workplace.

Cloud computing is one of the most effective and efficient ways of managing a large volume of documents without the need for paper. You can even set different levels of access depending on which employees need to see specific documents, or allow sharing and collaboration so that teams can make edits without printing.

You can also opt to use e-faxing software, which sends faxes via email as PDF files, rather than a traditional fax machine.

Of course, it’s likely you will still require paper from time to time – but by choosing certified recycled products and using it sparingly, you can do your part for the environment and enjoy the cost savings. Make sure recycling bins are widely available in the office, and encourage everyone to use paper mindfully.

Consider your energy use

There are plenty of quick and easy ways you can reduce energy consumption in your workplace, which can have a huge impact on your power bills.

Encouraging employees to switch off their computers completely – rather than leaving them on standby – at the end of the day, or getting the last person in the office to turn off all the lights are both examples of small changes that make a big difference.

You can also create energy savings by replacing standard light bulbs with energy efficient ones.

Reduce fuel consumption and travel time

One of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions are car exhausts – but there are lots of ways that workplaces can help employees reduce the amount of time they spend on the road.

Setting up carpooling schemes or establishing amenities for cyclists such as lockers or showers can be great ways to encourage employees to think twice about driving.

Audio conferencing can also help reduce the need for face-to-face meetings, freeing up valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere and keeping employees off the roads during the day.

You might be surprised at how affordable this eco-friendly option can be. As you only pay for the calls you make, it can work out to be considerably less expensive than reimbursing employees for petrol costs – and much easier on the environment too. Click here for more information on audio conferencing.

Encourage green habits outside of work

Truly eco-friendly businesses will do all they can to encourage employees to lead a green lifestyle at home too.

Consider having long-life shopping bags printed with the company logo that you can distribute to your staff members or at events – this could be a valuable promotional strategy and cut down on plastic bag use.

Some companies also give employees a certain number of hours or days to participate in green initiatives, such as tree planting – which can also be great team-building exercises.