Is Going Green Still an Option? Smart Ways to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Corporate sustainability has never been more imperative than today when consumers increasingly seek eco-friendly goods and services that do their part to reduce carbon emissions. Last year, 64% of consumers worldwide expressed their concerns regarding climate change, and the same percentage substantially reduced their single-use plastic consumption.

With this in mind, there’s no doubt that embracing sustainability is now a necessity for businesses that want to stay relevant and gain the trust of their consumers. While this topic can be daunting, know that your efforts will pay off in the end, not only because you will build a positive reputation but also because you will play your part in creating a healthier planet. In this blog post, we list 6 smart sustainability ideas to inspire you in your journey towards sustainability.

Make your office more energy efficient

Suppose your business has office space. In this case, a great step to go green is to find energy-efficient solutions, which will serve a double purpose: reduce carbon emissions and reduce costs. You can begin by conducting an energy efficiency survey to provide tailored pointers based on your business environment.

However, there are some practical ideas you can consider to improve energy efficiency, including:

• Replacing old doors and windows with glazing and frame materials;
• Installing solar panels that can replace electric power and gas;
• Using thermal window film;
• Choosing energy-efficient LED instead of old lighting;
• Using smart technology.

Manage your waste effectively

SaaS companies have the most significant digital carbon footprint in the business world, but all other ventures create waste to a certain degree. This waste can come in the form of cardboard, plastic, e-waste, packaging, textiles, construction materials, or clothing and furniture.

As you run your business, you may notice that your services and products generate waste in one way or another, but there’s also waste produced when renovating your office space or developing physical marketing materials. So, it’s imperative to start looking at this aspect and find potential solutions to manage your waste better, such as implementing recycling programs, composting organic waste, or investing in equipment like balers for waste cardboard from Mil-tek to streamline your daily operations while meeting your sustainability objectives. These are only a few ideas, but you should take the time to really consider how you can reduce your material consumption.

Use eco-friendly packaging

Suppose you sell physical products; in this case, you must focus on reducing CO2 emissions associated with shipping and logistics. The data shows that businesses generate 141 million tonnes of plastic packaging annually, which is incredibly detrimental to the planet’s health.

As Statista suggests, online shoppers know about this issue and consider goods ordered online to include too much packaging. So, what’s the lesson here? If you want to make your business more sustainable, change your packaging by eliminating single-use delivery boxes.

Encourage remote or hybrid work

Research has shown that working from home can reduce carbon emissions by 54% compared to working from the office. While neither of these concepts is new, around 44% of companies still don’t encourage remote working.

While it’s true that not all jobs are suitable for a remote work environment, in many instances, it’s enough to have a computer and Internet connection to perform a duty, and this can be genuinely beneficial for the climate. In fact, during the pandemic, when everyone had to move their office at home, in April 2020- global CO2 emissions were reduced by 17% compared to the same time in the previous year.  This shows the impact that remote working can have on your carbon footprint reduction efforts, and we recommend considering it because it will likely also contribute to employee satisfaction.

Train your team about corporate sustainability

You know the saying” Knowledge is power?” Well, this also applies to the process of making your business more sustainable – part of achieving this goal is ensuring your employees are on the same page with you. You can do this by providing them with training and ensuring they are aware of the actions they can take to reduce your business’s carbon footprint.

Sustainability training can be a game-changer for your company because it drives purposeful engagement, catalyzes innovation, and helps you become the brand everyone trusts, which plays a role in building long-term relationships with stakeholders. Besides, it will make employees feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves—after all, they are on a mission to improve the planet—resulting in greater enthusiasm at work. It sounds like the perfect recipe for long-lasting success in your business, don’t you think?

Rethink business events to reduce emissions

While there was a time when events went away, that’s no longer the case, and while this may seem like a good thing for your business, it can be damaging for the planet. Why is that so? Well, event-related travel leads to major carbon emissions, and so do all the other aspects involved in the organization of the event, from venue infrastructure and logistics to promotional materials and the equipment used at the event.

This problem is bigger than you may even think, as research has shown that an attendee alone creates around 176.67 KG of CO2 – that’s a lot! So, does this mean you should give up on organizing business events? Not really- after all, they have a role in your organization, so it’s not a good idea to never consider them again. Instead, you can opt for hybrid or remote events, as these are ideal when it comes to reducing emissions.

Are you ready to make a difference on the planet with these tips?

Becoming a sustainable business can be daunting – we know it! But it doesn’t have to be this way, and as you can see, there are some practical steps you can take to commit to making the planet a better place for everyone. Consider the tips mentioned above and see which of them make more sense to your business – perhaps remote work may not be possible for your industry, but there are still many other ways you can be sustainable. So, take action today and invest in sustainability – you will reap great rewards!