Issues pertaining to the environment are of utmost importance at the moment, given the threat of global warming and climate change. Extreme weather phenomena, including drought, wildfires and floods, increased water scarcity and the threat to biodiversity are only a few of the concerns. As such, an ever-growing number of people have become invested in sustainability. The concept relies on the fact that the resources of the Earth are limited and that their overuse will lead to ecological collapse. According to many activists and scientists, the downward trend has already begun.
High pollution levels, climate change, deforestation and dwindling wildlife numbers are some of the critical indicators. While there’s no absolute consensus of how much of the damage can be reversed or how long it would even take, it’s inevitable that by employing greener standards, the planet, as well as human and animal life, would fare much better. Implementing this standard at the corporate level, however, can be quite challenging, as all members of the company must be on the same page. Here are some of the most critical aspects.
Waste management
Most of the waste produced every day ends up in landfills, where it breaks down and adds to greenhouse gas emissions. One of the best ways to avoid this is to begin recycling. Get balers and compactors that can handle the plastics and paper. With Mil-tek, you can get devices of varying sizes, depending on your company’s needs. Minimising the amount of rubbish you produce is also helpful. Switch your business procedures to be entirely digital, and stop using disposable cups or cutlery.
You can also switch to biodegradable alternatives for office supplies, such as recycled paper, bamboo desk accessories, refillable ink cartridges, beeswax food wraps, edible cutlery, and reusable straws.
Business travel
Travelling by plane is fast and convenient, but it also comes with a considerable carbon footprint. Several companies have begun creating strategies that can slash emissions in order to support their sustainability standards. Estimates show that a 50% reduction in business travel emissions is necessary to meet the standards and stop global warming in its tracks. Starting from July 2024, Dutch businesses will begin reporting on progress towards reducing their global mobility emissions. The goal is to decrease them by half, and should be achieved by 2030 at the latest.
In France, short-haul flights, defined as those flights that are shorter than two and a half hours, have been outright banned and replaced with train journeys. It’s not just about government regulations, though, but also about personal initiatives and ambitions. If you are set on making your business more sustainable, you need to take charge of the proceedings and find new solutions that work for you.
Learn for others
The business environment is a highly competitive arena, and if your company is a small startup, you already know that you have a lot of work ahead of you. Keeping up with large enterprises can be particularly stressful, considering they have more resources at their disposal. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot learn something by having a closer look at their strategies. Since they’ve been in business for much longer than you, they will also have more insights into which strategies will yield more immediate results and which should be kept as backup plans or discarded altogether. Some of the things you should look into that you can include in your own company include:
- Investing in sustainability strategies such as wind farms, recycling or reforestation projects
- Increasing energy efficiency and switching to renewable power sources
- Diverting waste from landfills and moving towards a Zero waste policy
- Investing in water replenishment initiatives
- Take the necessary steps to become carbon-negative
Social equity
Your business isn’t sustainable until every single employee is treated fairly. Unethical practices can harm the reputation of any business, often for a long time and sometimes forever. There are some clients who will never buy from you again once they learn that you don’t uphold a certain standard level. Social equity refers to creating business practices that are equitable and fair on top of being sustainable and viable for long-term use over several years or decades.
It includes the fair distribution of opportunities and resources. While there are legal requirements that demand businesses comply with specific standards, corporations must ensure ethical practices from a commitment to leaving a positive impact on their communities. That is the best way to make a difference, as it allows you to think outside the box and address concerns that might have been invisible to others.
Economics
Implementing sustainability doesn’t only help the environment, it is also a great way to help businesses progress and expand to new markets. Economic viability is an essential part of sustainability that examines both the regional and the more significant implications of any project. The costs and benefits are expressed in specific terms and can be compared to monitor progress over different time spans. The economic side of sustainability blends the ability to reduce costs with the push for innovation.
It can also find better options for supply chains so that socially responsible practices become the standard every step of the way and for everybody across the chain. This isn’t just about your business either, but also about those of your suppliers. When you make sustainability a core consideration in your company’s culture, you include many naturally profitable processes, such as streamlining.
The impact
Since sustainability is so widely discussed at the moment, it has become something of a buzzword for some. However, you shouldn’t underestimate its impact and the positive changes it could bring to your company. Sustainability strategies increase goals every company should regard as paramount, including efficiency and value. They also deliver further benefits, like public goodwill and a better reputation. While intangible, they are crucial for business progress.
Potential customers are more likely to give your business a try. Those who are already loyal shoppers will continue to choose you over competitors.
Sustainability is an important goal, but it is also a continuous process. You cannot just change a few things and consider it done. As things change and technology improves, you must keep up with the innovations to achieve your goals.