Featured article by Calvin Paige, Independent Technology Author
When you run your own business, you have lots of factors to consider, but the main motivator and interest will be the bottom line. While you will have crunched the numbers for the products and services that you provide, businesses often fail to apply the same devotion to identifying how going green can help your profits grow. Making your business more sustainable can boost your business:
– Allows you to tap into new markets
– Attracts investors as they are keen to support businesses with a sustainable focus
– Keeps you ahead of regulations and helps to avoid reactive costs once the regulations come into play
– Promotes innovation as in-house scrutiny reveals new opportunities
So, how can you make your business greener?
Suppliers
Where do you source the products that you need for your business? Are there any local companies that you could support to provide you with the goods that you need? Some smaller suppliers may not be on your radar, but with a little research you may be able to identify local companies who can provide you with what you need. Not only would you be supporting the local economy, but you will be reducing the carbon footprint of transporting the products to you.
Reduce, reuse and recycle
The amount of waste that businesses create is indicative of the amount of profit that is lost. Excess packaging is one area where businesses waste money. Packaging from suppliers can be bound with baling wire from www.balingwiredirect.com before being collected, but you should also review how you send physical products to your customers. Choose packaging that has come from sustainable sources.
You can also refurb and recycle old computers and accessories. You may even be able to orchestrate a tax reduction by donating your old devices to a library, school, or a nonprofit program. Businesses can deduct the amount of the un-depreciated value of the computer from the tax owed.
Employees
The joy of the internet is that your employees can work remotely from home. Not only is this a green way of removing the environmental impact of their commute but telecommuting has also been shown to improve employee efficiency and productivity as it boosts their job satisfaction.
It is important to get your employees on board to your green policies. When your employees are engaged with your strategies, they are more likely to remember to switch off computers at the end of the day, turn off lights and be proactive about reducing waste.
Going green needs to be a business-wide commitment, but by being proactive, you can increase profits but also enhance your business culture. Everyone has a role to play, and even incremental steps can help to create and lead positive change. An additional benefit to introducing environmental policies is that your business becomes more attractive to customers, so don’t be shy about promoting your green philosophies on your website and social media platforms. Saving and conserving resources benefits your profits, your reputation and the environment.
