The race is on! Businesses of all shapes and sizes are scrambling to find new ways to outdo their competition in the race for more ethical and sustainable operations. To make intelligent and judicious green changes that can not only help you to demonstrate their green credentials to the world, they can even save you money. Operating more sustainably is really its own reward. But consumers have grown increasingly insistent in recent years that the businesses they buy from have a strong ethical and environmental focus. In fact, if you expect to engage the younger generations like millennials and generation Z, it’s safe to say that you will need to make sustainability an integral part of your operations. The good news, however, is that when younger consumers see that you have a commitment to sustainability (and aren’t just greenwashing for the sake of good PR), you can secure their loyalty for the long term. And they’re happy to pay more for more sustainable products and services.
We’ve already looked exhaustively at some of the ways you can make your business more sustainable. Here we’ll look at some more surprising and outside the box places around the workplace were you could make some small changes that could make a surprisingly big difference…
Your ceiling
Look up! You might just see an opportunity to use less energy, save money and make your operation more sustainable. WIthout compromising any aspect of your operational efficiency, or the quality your customers expect from you. If your workplace still uses old fashioned incandescent bulbs you may be shocked to learn that only 10% of the energy they generate produces light. The rest is lost producing heat.
Replace them with energy efficiency Compact Fluorescent Lights could see you use far less energy. Furthermore, motion sensors and timers in places like bathrooms and corridors can save energy by ensuring that lights are off when an area in your building is not in use.
Your break room / lunch room
You may be astonished at just how much more sustainable the food you serve in your break room and lunch room can make your business. Look in most breakroom vending machines and you’ll see a cornucopia of processed food. Including processed meats and snacks containing dairy. And not only is processed meat a type 1 carcinogen, intensively farmed meats can be terrible for the environment.
Getting more fresh veggies and fruits, wholegrains and pulses can help make your workforce healthier, happier and more productive. What’s more, eating more plants is arguably one of the best things we can do for the planet. Of course that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever serve meat. It just means you should look into a more sustainably minded supplier like Superior Farms. Your protein doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet!
The bathroom
Finally, the humble workplace bathroom brings its own opportunities for more sustainable operations. Consider switching to a lower flush toilet, as well as installing a hand drier to eliminate the cost and waste of paper towels. A sensor for your bathroom lighting is also a great idea, so that you never burn excessive electricity when an employee leaves the bathroom light on.
As you can see, the little changes you make around your workplace can all add up to make a huge difference.