Easy ways to improve business sustainability

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Six easy ways to make your operations more sustainable

When it comes to improving the environmental sustainability practices in your business, there are plenty of small, simple changes you can make straight away

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Executive summary

Reaching ambitious environmental sustainability goals may be a long process

and require sweeping systems change, but you can also make small, meaningful changes straight away to start having an impact.

Reuse wherever possible, for example by using second-hand furniture

in your office or buying refurbished equipment. And maximise the goods and materials you recycle to avoid sending waste to landfill.

Look for smart ways to reduce your business’s energy consumption

such as by using timers to switch off items not in use. And consider switching to a renewable energy tariff.

You will need to get your team on board,

so make sure everyone is aware of the changes you’re making and why you’re making them – and ask for their input.

More and more business owners (and their customers) are concerned about their impact on the environment and want to operate in a more sustainable way. But knowing where to get started can seem overwhelming.

Reaching net zero for your business’s carbon emissions or removing waste from your operations require long-term systems change. And changing supply chains to make sure you are using the most environmentally friendly raw materials is likely to take time and detailed consideration.

But there are plenty of small yet meaningful changes you can make that are quick and easy to implement. Here are some ideas to make your business more sustainable today.

Get your waste in order

When it comes to workplace waste, don’t just think about your manufacturing processes; consider the waste that accumulates in the workplace day to day. As well as reducing this by as much as you can, it’s important to deal with what waste you do have in sustainable ways so as little of it as possible is sent to landfill.

One option could be a food waste disposal or composting system for lunchtime leftovers or spent coffee grounds.¹ Another is to make recycling as easy as possible for your team, with plenty of waste bins and collection points that are well labelled with what materials can and can’t go in them.²

Use sustainable energy

Switching to a renewable energy supplier is an efficient way to significantly reduce your business’s carbon footprint. And there are plenty of suppliers offering energy tariffs from renewable sources such as solar or wind generation, as opposed to fossil fuel-based power sources.³

Further down the line, you could consider investing in assets that generate renewable power, such as installing solar panels on your roof. And selling this energy back to the national infrastructure system not only improves the supply of renewable energy, it could also save your business money.⁴

"Think about the whole lifecycle of the products you buy, for example by considering whether or not they can be repaired"

Reduce and reuse

Many of the products we use day to day are designed to be used just once, so take steps to reduce those as much as possible. An obvious one in the workplace is paper. If you haven’t done so already, you could switch to paperless invoicing and order systems. Look at your marketing materials, too: consider whether paper mailers or other paperbased marketing materials are really necessary to your business today. You might find they could be replaced by digital options.⁴

You could also think about other items that are routinely thrown away, such as coffee cups or sticky tape, and make swaps for more sustainable alternatives if appropriate.⁵

For bigger office purchases, consider whether you are able to buy restored, second-hand items, which will most likely cost less as well as being more sustainable.³ World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) recommends thinking about the whole lifecycle of the products you buy, for example by considering whether or not they can be repaired.⁵

Be energy efficient

Small reductions in your energy usage wherever possible can add up to significant savings over time – making your business more environmentally friendly and reducing expenditure. Walk around the workspace to get a sense of whether there are areas being heated (or cooled) unnecessarily.

If possible, consider automating items to turn off if they’re not in use for a certain period of time. For example, using sensors to turn lights off when there’s no activity in the workspace, or asking your IT team to change the settings on office computers to help save energy.⁶

Incentivise staff to cycle or use public transport

Improving your environmentally sustainable practices doesn’t have to be limited to just your workplace. Staff travelling to work can be a source of carbon emissions that you may not have considered. If members of your team rely on cars to get to and from work, think about any ways you might be able to encourage them to swap to cycling or public transport (as long as it’s safe to do so) instead. You could consider incentivising them by offering to contribute to the fares, for example, or providing interest-free loans to buy cycles with.

And if it’s not practical to replace car travel, you might be able to encourage employees to travel together to reduce the number of vehicles driving to your workplace, or have set days where they work from home.⁷

Educate your employees

For a sustainability initiative to have the most impact, it can often require the whole team to get involved. Be sure to let everyone know what you’re doing to improve sustainability in the workplace, and why you’re making those changes.²

And encourage your team to get involved, by asking for their ideas about how to make the business more sustainable. Keep everyone updated with measurable progress, too, such as reductions in your office energy consumption, so everyone can see their efforts are having a tangible effect.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page does not constitute legal, tax, finance, accounting, or trade advice, but is designed to provide general information relating to business and commerce. The FedEx Small Business Hub content, information, and services are not a substitute for obtaining the advice of a competent professional, for example a licensed attorney, law firm, accountant, or financial adviser.

Sources

1. Office waste reduction tips and ideas | The Balance SMB, 2019
2. Tips on encouraging employees to recycle at work | DCW
3. 8 ways to make your business more sustainable | Honest Mobile, Feb 2021
4. How to make your business greener | SmartPension
5. Let’s make our workplaces sustainable | WWF, 2020
6. How to make your office more sustainable | NCVO Know How
7. 20 Simple Steps To Make Your Business More Sustainable | Your Matter, Nov 2020