Sustainability is a watchword for businesses of all sizes, but particularly among SMEs where profit margins can be a little tighter and you may be targeting growth, keeping a close check on your resources can help to make all the difference in achieving your long-term goals.
While there are many different ways to commit to sustainable business practices, here are five general starting points that you can use to make immediate savings, while possibly giving you some inspiration to work on a unique sustainability plan that suits your company specifically.
1. Lights, Cameras, Action!
Lighting can be one of the biggest energy demands for many businesses, as office interiors and commercial premises tend to rely heavily on artificial lighting.
If you are in a position to make better use of natural lighting – for example by arranging your furniture around windows and ensuring tall shelving units don’t block the sunlight – then do so and you’ll make instant savings by keeping the ceiling lights switched off for more of the day.
Even if you cannot reconfigure your space, you can encourage employees to switch the lights off when they leave meeting rooms and bathrooms, use push-button lighting controls that automatically switch off after a certain period of time, or even install motion detectors so lights come on only when a person is in a specific area.
2. Keeping Cool
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are another major energy factor, so try to control your premises’ temperature naturally rather than artificially.
Solar shading for windows can keep the heat out in the summertime, while opening windows – safely, if you are in a high rise building – can ventilate the space without adding to your energy demand.
3. Waste Not, Want Not
Be savvy about what you use and throw away – try not to print documents if you can use them electronically instead, and use both sides of the paper unless confidentiality means single-sided prints must be shredded.
Duplex printers are a good way to print more efficiently, as they will automatically turn the page over and print on the reverse as well, potentially halving your waste paper output.
Make sure you are making good use of workplace recycling schemes, particularly for paper but also other materials like metals and plastics if relevant, and dispose of waste electronics in the appropriate way so they can be recycled too.
4. Skip It and Ship It
If in doubt, commercial skip hire is a great way to get rid of large quantities of waste ethically – for example old office fixtures and fittings if you are installing new energy-saving technologies.
A commercial skip hire provider can remove most materials, with the exception of certain hazardous waste that may need special handling, and will usually deal with separating out the recyclable materials for you, so you stay eco-conscious without having to worry about it.
5. Car Share Schemes
Finally, consider encouraging staff to commute into work in a car pool, using public transport or by bicycle, as all of these options will reduce the overall carbon footprint of your workforce’s commute.
You may even be able to offer flexible working conditions so some staff can stay at home on at least some days of the week – which will be welcomed by many employees keen to avoid a lengthy morning and evening commute, too.
