Grow Your Business the Green Way

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As a business owner, you’ll want to do whatever you can to hit your growth margins year-on-year. If you are also eco-conscious and want to make your business more sustainable and reduce your carbon footprint, you are already considering how that growth can become greener.

Here are our tips for growing your business the green way.

Rethink Your Vendors

A simple way to go greener is to reevaluate the businesses you do business with. How sustainable are their practices? Can you replace them with someone who is more eco-friendly?

This can include everyone from the people who deliver your meals to the people who source various materials and supplies. Inquire about their sustainability practices, and look for greener vendors if you can.

Note that working with a green business may slightly increase costs. Carefully analyze the benefits to your own business before committing to a change.

Source Materials Locally

Locally sourcing everything you can is good for your business and kinder to the planet.

It can significantly cut down on your transportation costs, at the same time reducing the emission of harmful fumes. This practice is especially important for all kinds of building materials as well as produce and food in general.

You will also be helping the local economy. Since these are your neighbors, by doing good in the area, you can also potentially see an influx of business yourself.

Use Recyclable and Sustainable Supplies

Offices are full of items that could be made greener. Take a walk around and carefully analyze what you could improve.

For starters, there are the pens and paper you use daily. Look for a more sustainable alternative. There are plenty of brands that make reusable pens and recyclable paper from eco-friendly materials.

The same goes for things like toilet paper and soap. Is there a more eco-conscious version you can start buying?

Remove all single-use items from the kitchen, too. Gift employees water bottles or coffee cups that they can use again and again instead of having them buy plastic alternatives.

Consider Alternative Modes of Transportation

Transportation is often one of the biggest pollutants for a business, especially if you are in ecommerce or manufacturing. Consider alternative ways to ship your items, perhaps with longer delivery times.

Also take into account how your staff gets to work. Encourage and reward carpooling, and make sure the management sets an example. You don’t want staff seeing the higher-ups arriving alone in their cars.

You can also consider using golf carts to get around the premises. This is a very eco-friendly mode of transportation. You will need to prep your golf carts for the winter, but they can be used in nice weather, and they can be a lot of fun, too.

Adopt a No-Print Policy

Businesses can save an incredible amount of money and become significantly greener when they minimize their printing.

Start by making all of your invoices and other financial documents digital. Stop printing marketing materials and make all of your advertising digital. Ask your staff to stop printing things they don’t really need. You can invest in digital readers, like iPads, if they need to access documents on the go.

Reuse and recycle every piece of paper in the office. Don’t throw them out when they are only half-full.

Make Your Office Space Greener

There is also a lot you can do to make your office space more sustainable. The process will require the cooperation of all of your employees, but if you make the benefits clear and encourage them to get involved, you can soon see meaningful results.

Start by unplugging all devices and appliances when they are not in use. This includes laptops and especially phone chargers. It also applies to the microwave and coffee machine.

Make sure all of your lightbulbs are as energy-efficient as possible. Turn all the lights off when the room is not in use, and try to rely on natural light as often as possible. Adding mirrors to your office space can make it feel brighter.

You can also set up a composting and recycling station in the kitchen, ensuring that nothing that can still be used gets simply thrown away. When getting rid of electronics or furniture, rehome them or donate them.

Go Remote

Finally, you can also consider going remote, at least part of the time. This can cut down on the carbon footprint caused by commuting, and it can also reduce your energy bills.

Note, however, that the best policy if you’re considering remote work is to go fully remote. This way you won’t have to spend any money on renting an office space. You can organize company meetings in a coworking space, where you can rent out a conference room if you prefer in-person catch-ups.

Check with your staff how they feel about working from home, and do what you can to make it more comfortable and productive for them. Help them with all their tech needs, and offer to pay some of their energy and internet bills. Let them truly have flexible working hours.

Wrapping Up

Don’t aim to instantly implement all of these green ways to grow your business. Take it step by step, and allow your employees to get used to the new way of doing things. Last but not least, make sure to ask them for their input on the best ways you can make the business greener.