How Small Businesses Can Level Up Their Eco Strategies
How Small Businesses Can Level Up Their Eco Strategies
With over 99% of businesses in the UK classified as SMEs, small businesses will play a vital role in bringing down the country’s carbon emissions in the future. While most companies have the basics in place, such as a recycling policy in the office or requests to staff to only print documents if it’s essential, there is more that we can be doing to reduce our collective carbon footprint. Here are a few tips that small businesses can adopt to upgrade their eco strategies and make a positive impact.
Develop a green workplace culture
The workplace culture plays an important role in the type of business you’re operating, the reputation you’re building and the happiness of your staff. But it can also help to positively impact your employees outside of work hours too, by setting in motion a change of perspective and an understanding of the importance of sustainability.
Small businesses have the potential to really develop a targeted workplace culture that incorporates greener habits, from switching off lights when rooms aren’t being used to turning off computers, encouraging car sharing or taking part in volunteer days as a team.
Research renewable energy choices
There are numerous renewable energy options that businesses can make the most of now, so it’s important to do your research to identify the best solution for your commercial premises and the industry you operate in. For example, if your property is south-facing, you may benefit more from solar power than a property where the surrounding area is very shaded.
Likewise, ground source heat pumps are an effective solution if you have sufficient space available for digging a trench, as well the ability to provide access to digging equipment, but other options may be better suited if there’s not the room for this.
Work with sustainable businesses
Becoming a more sustainable business extends beyond what you do within your own operations and processes. It also requires you to examine the third-parties you’re working with and the ways in which they’re working to become more environmentally friendly. From software providers to logistics firms, packaging suppliers and food and beverage brands, business owners work with countless other companies in order to run their organisation.
For small businesses, in particular, the supply chain can have a huge impact on their own carbon footprint. Consider switching to more sustainable companies and supporting their operations where possible in order to have a broader impact than just how you run your own business.
Use green web hosting
The majority of businesses rely on a website in today’s digital age, in varying capacities, but websites use energy too as servers require vast quantities of energy to run. Small businesses have the option of where their data is stored though, and an eco-conscious choice is to choose green web hosting companies and offset energy usage to become carbon neutral.
Final thoughts
Businesses have varying levels of impact on the environment, depending on the size of the operation, the practices they follow and the industry they work in. But everyone has the potential to contribute towards the climate crisis in a positive way and there’s never been a better time to start making changes than now. Small businesses make up such a large proportion of the business landscape in the UK, so they have a responsibility to make the switch to eco-friendlier options.