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Business in 2021 is complex. Climate change is likely the most long-term challenge confronting businesses today.

The days of debating whether or not to ‘go green’ is long gone; it is now nearly unanimously agreed that we all have a role to play in limiting emissions and saving the earth from irreversible damage. Businesses can help by making simple changes.

Most firms have already set long-term and short-term goals to lessen their environmental effect. Going green has many benefits beyond fulfilling legal and moral obligations, which is a widespread misperception. This post discusses critical factors to consider when defining green goals for your company.

Reduce Waste

If you work in an office, you can start by recycling what you don’t need. You can also buy recycled paper, one of the greenest solutions available today for organisations trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Recycled paper uses less energy, water, and carbon than virgin paper.

Tech is another topic that is often disregarded at work. Every office requires new equipment from time to time, whether your company is expanding or your services have increased.

While refurbished technology isn’t new, companies may be wary of it due to its perceived reliability. But this isn’t true. Refurbished devices are good for the environment and can save your company money.

Use Local Goods and Services

Sourcing local items have various advantages, including reducing your company’s environmental impact by lowering courier travel. It’s also a great approach to take advantage of local opportunities — maybe a local firm has produced the product or solution your company needs! Local supplier partnerships can help build your company’s brand and support your community.

Reduce Energy and Water Consumption

First, you must be aware of your energy usage to discover opportunities for improvement. Use your smart meter, which most UK energy suppliers now supply, to monitor your business’s use and take measures to minimise it. Solar power via Blue Raven has been proven to slash energy bills. Also, make sure your EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is current. This will provide you with a complete energy efficiency report and highlight areas for improvement. If your EPC has expired, contact a local energy assessment company. They can come out and perform an epc inspection to evaluate your property’s energy performance and renew your certificate.

Lighting, heating, and electrical appliances are perhaps the major energy users in offices. If your building has lots of windows, use the natural light and think about whether you need artificial lights. A significant adjustment might be to replace old lighting with newer, more energy-efficient LED bulbs.

Ensure your lighting and heating are timed so you don’t heat an empty workplace, especially now that many people work from home. Installing sensors to turn off lights when no one is around has proven effective for many businesses.

Reduce water consumption by using automatic sensors on bathroom faucets or timers that allow for short bursts of water to be released, reducing the risk of water wastage. Reduce bills further by having water boreholes drilled onto your property if applicable and ensure your own uninterrupted water supply.

While there might be an initial outlay, over time, you can recoup these costs by experiencing lower water bills and reduced wastage too.

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