It may take a bit of time to incorporate your new eco-friendly policies; however, they are more important than you might realize. According to PR Newswire, 78 percent of US consumers will not buy from a company they believe to be contributing negatively to the environment. This figure is only going to grow; therefore, your eco friendly, green initiatives are essential to your long-term success.
Alternative Transport Reimbursement
Most of the best companies to work for, as rated by employees and published in Fortune each year, offer their employees some sort of incentive to use alternative transportation. If your employees walk, ride their bike, use a scooter, take the bus or utilize any other mode of public transportation, you should reimburse them in some way. This has proven highly successful in removing vehicles from the roads, as well as to improve the quality of life of employees in many circumstances. And, encourage remote working to keep people off the road and to improve their quality of life even further.
Annual HVAC and Air Duct Cleaning
Part of operating an environmentally friendly business is to ensure that all systems work properly from HVAC systems to your air ducts. The quality of air being circulated throughout your building has a direct impact on the health of your employees, as well as the number of toxins being released into the atmosphere from your systems. Clean them annually. It will be kinder to the environment, make your employees happier and save you money in the long term.
Eco Friendly Packaging
Unilever released a report that waste from packaging equates to an annual loss of $80 billion throughout the global marketplace. While the packaging is important for the safety and protection of various consumer items, packaging professionals often use far too much packaging. And, the materials are often thrown away rather than recycled or compostable, as well as not being made from recycled materials.
Paperless
If you have yet to go paperless, this might be one of the easiest steps to take. Very few businesses require to have hard copies by law. You do not even need to write a signature any longer as digital signatures are widely accepted as legally binding in most countries. You will save time and money by taking this step.
Plants
Plants are tremendous for both the environment and the quality of life in your work setting. They naturally detoxify the air; therefore, the more trees and plants you have inside and outside your facilities, they better off your people and the planet will become. Many trendsetting businesses are creating green spaces for employees on rooftops, decks and more.
Recycle
Most top companies offer to recycle. You should be recycling paper by now; however, you should also have recycling for all items including glass and plastic. If you do not have space to store recycling on site, you can search for “storage units near me” as a way to store your recycling until it is picked up. And, if you have a kitchen or cafeteria on site, be sure you have a composting process in place to reduce food waste.
Water Use
If you really wish to make a positive impact on the environment, greatly limit and monitor your water use. Only water the exterior grounds every other day as a maximum and turn off the timers when it rains. If possible, do not waste hundreds of gallons of water cleaning floors with water sprayers. Use a bucket and a broom. And, train your employees to turn off the water when they wash their hands.
It does not have to be time-consuming or expensive to transition to a more eco-friendly business. With just a few small changes, you can greatly reduce your carbon footprint and improve your company image.
