There aren’t many positive that have emerged from Lockdown but it’s fair to say it has had a positive effect on the environment.
The Reducing UK Emissions: 2020 Progress Report to Parliament states that emissions in 2020 are likely to decrease by 5–10 per cent because of the lockdown. We do not want to go back to our lives before lockdown only to see emissions rise again.
Many businesses strive to make their operations greener, and business owners can have a huge influence on green policy. Not only can ‘going green’ be beneficial for the environment – it could also have a positive impact on business expenditure. In one survey, 71 per cent of companies said that making their business more environmentally friendly led to them having reduced costs.
You may change your business for the environment or your workers, or because it is going to save the company money. In this article, we will show you how to make a change.
Getting to work greener
The way in which your employees get to work is as important to their carbon footprint as what they do when they are at work. In many cases, multiple employees will be using their own vehicle to travel to the office, and although this might be convenient, it’s a wasteful method of commuting. In the UK, a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions come from road transport, so it’s important that you do your part to encourage employees to utilise different methods.
Encouraging your employees to cycle to work using the cycle to work scheme will save them money, make them healthier, and importantly, decrease carbon emissions.
Lockdown has shown us that being more lenient about working from home will be beneficial. Over the past few months, many companies have found that their employees work just as well from home, and this move towards remote working is a great way to tackle the commuting carbon emissions.
Network with other sustainable businesses
Working with other sustainable businesses can be a way to champion the greener way of life. Connect with sustainable vendors the next time you host a social or a networking event or build relationships with sustainable firms by offering company discounts or other incentives.
Your energy
Whatever sector your business is in, the energy supply your company uses can make a big difference to your carbon emissions and your costs. Switching from oil to gas is sure to benefit your business in a massive way if you are off the mains gas grid— with potential cost savings and reduced emissions, making this switch will result in a reliable and dependable energy supply. A spokesperson from Tamnavulin Distillery explained the company’s reasoning behind making the switch from oil to gas with Flogas: “As a business, it was essential for us to go beyond the required environmental standards and not only have we achieved significant emissions improvements, but we have reduced our fuel bill as well.”
Don’t just stop at influencing your employees’ choices within your business; influence your employees in their personal lives and be aware of the different energy choices they can make. Changing their energy supply could save them money and reduce the emissions they create in their home as well as their place of work.
Do you carbon offset?
Do you offset carbon emissions? If your company has to emit carbon due to essential activities, look at carbon offsetting options. Opting into a carbon offsetting initiative can mitigate your business’s energy emissions while also supporting essential sustainability projects around the world.
Are you paperless?
More companies are taking steps to become paperless with the rise of online communication platforms. Why not go one step further and make ‘paperless’ your policy? This could also extend to kitchenware, new starter packs, and any other disposable products that could be switched out for a reusable or digital alternative.
The importance of company
There are many different things you can do to make your company more sustainable, but the company culture as a whole can change the way your employees think about sustainability. Ensure that you communicate your eco-efforts clearly and proudly to your workforce, and make sure that sustainability is worked into discussions and meetings whenever possible. Creating a green company culture will inspire your employees and ensure that sustainability is always at the front of their minds.
As a business owner, you have the influence to change the future for the better and make it greener for your company and your employees. It has never been more important to improve your sustainability measures and empower your staff to do the same.