Simple steps that any business can take to reduce their overall impact on the environment

Recently there has been a growing interest in the environment globally and how our use of energy and resources affect the world we live in. So, there has been a large push by many companies and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. Faced with this reality of dwindling natural resources and man-made damage to the environment, today’s businesses are becoming increasingly aware and recognizing how important it is to reduce their environmental impact because of the larger scale of their consumption. However, the challenge is that when it comes to actually putting sustainable practices into action, many businesses do not know where to begin making changes that will have a substantial impact. Therefore, the following is a list of proposed simple and actionable steps that any business can take to reduce their overall impact on the environment.

1. First, set realistic goals and make small changes over time:
Building a sustainable business practice requires long-term planning and implementation throughout the entire organization. It is not something that will provide results overnight. Therefore, setting realistic sustainability goals and benchmarks to meet along the way is the key to success. While it might not be realistic or feasible in the first month to completely convert your office’s energy use to solar power, you can start to reduce your business’s energy consumption by changing simple everyday behaviors and procedures, such as turning out the lights when they are not in use, unplugging appliances at the end of each work day, or recycling paper and trash throughout the office. All of these small changes contribute to a long-term impact on the environment.

2. Make sustainability a core part of your company’s vision and values:
Changing your business practices and behaviors to become more environmentally responsible requires a shared commitment and vision throughout the entire organization. Therefore, it is essential that sustainability be a core part of your entire company’s vision and values, and that these visions and values are clearly communicated to the entire organization. This requires integrating sustainability goals and practices into your overall business strategy and a companywide commitment to actual change. A good place to start is to build an environmental business plan or to establish a “sustainability task force” to carry out the plan and hold other employees accountable.

3. Get involved in worthwhile activities and causes that help protect the environment:
Publicly show your company’s unified commitment to environmental awareness by participating in related events and causes in your community. Whether it’s through volunteering in the community or making a donation to a related charity or cause that you believe in. Corporate Social Responsibility is an important part of demonstrating your business’s commitment to the environment and encouraging your employees to get involved as well.

4. Reward employees for making positive changes:
Show your staff your appreciation for their commitment to achieving a more sustainable organization by rewarding them for their contributions and milestones. For example, launch a company-wide competition, challenging the staff to reduce your office’s monthly electric bills by 5% in six months. Determine a pre-established reward for employees if that goal is achieved. For instance, upon reaching the goal the entire company will be treated to dinner, receive paid time off, or will be rewarded with a group outing to a baseball game or other favorite sporting event. A friendly, company-wide incentive will get employees excited and more involved in the organization’s business sustainability efforts.

5. Make changes in your purchasing decisions:
Reducing your company’s environmental impact also requires making responsible and ecoconscious purchasing decisions. You can start, for example, by purchasing paper products for the office that are recyclable or consider replacing your dry cell supplies with rechargeable batteries. Making small changes like these can pay off for your company over time, and have substantial positive effects on the environment as well.