A lot of us are looking for ways to become more eco-friendly, but that doesn’t just mean in the home. Have you ever thought about how you can reduce your business’s carbon footprint and use more sustainable products and practices? Promoting sustainability in the office shows your employees that you are serious about making a positive change and can help to encourage a more environmentally friendly workplace. If you’re looking for ways that you and your business can become more eco-friendly, read on to find out more.
Bike to work
Travel incentives like bike-to-work schemes are great for getting people to reduce their carbon footprint by leaving their car at home and cycling to work instead. Installing Sheffield cycle stands gives your employees somewhere safe to store their bikes when they’re in the office during the day and the number of employees cycling to work is likely to increase if they have somewhere to keep their bikes. It is a great way to keep fit and can have a positive impact on the planet by reducing emissions produced when commuting.
Recycling
One of the most important things that we can all do to help the planet is something as simple and easy as recycling. As a business, it is important to implement a recycling programme. Ensuring that it is clearly sign-posted in the office and having designated areas can help to encourage employees to dispose of waste correctly. As well as this, looking into the disposal of things like old computer parts, batteries, or other tech equipment is essential so you can dispose of them ethically, and free up space in the office.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing means storing data, documents, and software in the cloud which eliminates the need for expensive and powerful servers. Switching to using cloud storage means that you can decrease the amount of greenhouse gas your business is producing, as well as reduce the amount of computing infrastructure that you need. The cloud runs online, so, therefore, doesn’t need hardware, which you’ll then need to dispose of when it is out of date.
Work with green manufacturers
If reducing your carbon footprint is something that you’re passionate about as a business, switching to companies that also show they have the same values can be helpful. You can do some research on your vendors and manufacturers to find out what they’re doing to become more sustainable. You can also ask a manufacturer before you decide to work with them on what they have in place to ensure they’re using environmentally friendly practices. If you find that your vendors aren’t doing enough, you should shop around for others that are like-minded when it comes to sustainability.
Reusables
Single-use plastic has a damaging effect on our planet and is one of the main causes of sea pollution. Switching to reusable options is a great way to make sure that your business is doing all it can to reduce the negative impact of plastic products. If you work in an office environment, encourage your employees to use their own reusable cups, or provide reusable cutlery for employees. If you use a lot of folders or binders, try to reuse old ones to reduce your waste production. Another way that you can promote reuse in the office is to use refills – for example, if you need to fill up a soap dispenser, keep the dispenser and just buy the soap to fill it with. It all starts with one small action, so by showing you’re doing your best as a business to be environmentally friendly, you might even get the ball rolling with employees too.
