Top Green Initiatives for Business

As a planet, we are currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels including coal, oil and gas. These energy sources are non-renewable, meaning that the planet has a limited supply. Experts disagree on exactly when we may exhaust these resources, but many give an approximate date of 2060. It’s therefore essential that we find effective ways to transition away from these fuels before they run out.

An increasing number of companies are turning to renewable energy sources as part of their bid to be more eco-friendly. By definition, these resources naturally replenish.

As well as the environmental reasons for implementing green initiatives, there is also a strong business case for taking these steps.  According to the Carbon Trust, 61 per cent of people are more likely to buy from a company if it has a good reputation for reducing its impact on climate change. And it’s not just consumers who are paying attention to this issue. Figures cited by Green Mark suggest that business tenders now allocate up to 10 per cent of their scores to green issues. By demonstrating their commitment to environmentally sustainability policies, businesses may therefore benefit from a more positive brand image and increased sales.

The measures outlined above are generic and can be adopted by a wide range of businesses and other organisations. Below, we’ve outlined some more specific measures that can be used by particular types of organisation.

Green initiatives for schools

There are many things schools can do to become more eco-friendly. For example, they can ‘green’ the school run by arranging walking buses that see children walk to school in groups chaperoned by adults. They can also take care to source canteen food locally and ethically to limit the carbon footprint of school meals, and they can get students involved in recycling and upcycling projects.

Green initiatives for the office

In today’s digital age, many offices are still using paper simply out of habit. Making the switch to paperless systems can significantly cut waste. To help keep electricity usage to a minimum, it’s a good idea to maximise the use of natural light. Also, it pays to educate staff about the importance of switching appliances such as printers and PCs off when they’re not in use.

Green initiatives for hotels

Hotels tend to be big water users. To address this, they can install technology such as sink aerators and low-flow showerheads. They can also encourage guests to reuse towels in order to cut down on laundry. Some hotels are encouraging guests to ditch their cars in favour of green transportation, for example by making bikes available or providing shuttle bus services to the city centre and airport. Installing occupancy sensors in guest rooms that control lights, electronics and temperature settings can help too.

Green initiatives for restaurants

Some level of food waste is often unavoidable in restaurants, but by using digital inventory management tools and highlighting expiration dates on produce, eateries can minimise this. They can also donate surplus food. Another thing these businesses can do is to choose energy efficient appliances such as ovens, hobs, freezers and dishwashers. Using in-season ingredients with low food miles can also make restaurants greener.

Starting a green initiative at work can be daunting, but don’t let this put you off. The key is to devise an effective plan that is suitable for your particular organisation, and to spend time educating and persuading your colleagues to get on board. Buy-in from co-workers is key to getting these measures to work. To help with this process, it often pays to involve your colleagues at the ideas stage so that they feel fully invested in it. This can also help to ensure that your green initiatives are as strong and effective as possible.

With minimising costs such a focus for many businesses, particularly now in these challenging economic times, you might be wondering about the cost implications of becoming more environmentally friendly as an organisation. After all, certain measures – such as making your building more energy efficient or upgrading your recycling facilities – will cost money upfront. However, over the long term, many of these changes could save you potentially significant sums of money – for example by lowering your energy bills.

As mentioned previously, it’s also vital to consider the positive impact that going green could have on your business’ reputation, and the effect this could have on sales. A recent global study by Nielsen found that more than eight in 10 people polled said it is extremely or very important that companies implement policies to improve the environment. By being proactive in this area, you could help to secure the long term popularity and success of your business.