18 Aug

What Green Initiatives Can You Employ for Your Business?

No matter how big or small your organisation or what sector you operate in, it’s important to pay attention to green initiatives in the modern era. Yet it can be difficult to know where to start, and you may be looking for some green ideas that you can implement in your company. What should you consider?

Look at the Bigger Picture

Many large companies are leading the way in this area, and it may help to have a quick look at Toyota’s Earth Charter for some initial inspiration. After that, consider some of the following initiatives.

Aim for Zero Emissions

Goal number one should be to reduce the size of your carbon footprint by cutting down on pollution and aiming for zero emissions. Of course, your approach will depend on the nature of your company, but it may include a commitment to using non- or less-toxic substances or materials in packaging. Understand the size of your greenhouse gas emissions and how reducing your energy needs may lead to savings.

Run Green Initiatives in the UK

When you organise events, be as critical as possible about elements such as travel and resource use. It’s certainly possible to run sustainable green events in this country and still achieve the objectives that you seek.

Choose Renewable Energy

You may also want to transition to renewable energy if you control your energy sources. Think about non-fossil fuel-based solutions like wind, wave or solar. Many companies can augment (or even replace) their traditional energy sources through solar installation.

Redesign the Supply Chain

Should you redesign your supply chain? Understand how the companies in your chain are approaching sustainability, and be ready to engage with different suppliers if need be. You may consider that they have their own obligations in this area, and you may choose accordingly if you’re not happy.

Conserve Resources

Conserve resources wherever possible. Even small changes can make a big difference. You may want to add water-efficient toilet or sink hardware, swap out all your lightbulbs for LED options and try to avoid the use of paper by switching to digital. Then, think about installing a smart thermostat for your heating and cooling needs and adding automated systems to avoid any power wastage.

Recycle Effectively

Always recycle and work with accredited on-site or offsite contractors as you try to avoid a ‘zero waste to landfill’ approach. You can ask your recycling contractor to tell you about their strategy so that it matches your overall approach to sustainability.

Run a Lean Operation

Try to be as ‘lean’ as possible in every element of your organisation. If you’re a manufacturer, avoid excess processing or overproduction. Try to reduce any delays along the supply chain and eliminate any excess inventory holding. Make sure that all your staff members are utilised without too much unnecessary downtime.

Watch Your Consumption

Be responsible when it comes to your consumption of resources. You may want to encourage some of your staff members to start up a carpool or use a form of transport with lower emissions. Ask your logistics provider (if appropriate) about their approach to see if they are reducing their fuel consumption as much as possible.

If you produce a product, minimise the size of its packaging. These days, you can use smart machine technology that will automatically adjust the packaging for the size of the product presented to it.

Start a Suggestion Box

Open up a digital suggestion box and encourage employees and customers alike to contribute to it on an ongoing, proactive basis. Ask them for suggestions — they may come up with something that you hadn’t thought of. Your organisation will also look a lot better in the eyes of your customers and employees, as they see that you have a keen eye for green initiatives.

Get Further Help with Green Events

If you want some additional advice about sustainable events, get in touch with the experts at Eventeem. We are market leaders in event staffing and have also published some information about corporate event trends that you may want to watch out for. Reach out to one of our event agency personnel for further advice about green events.