For years, consumers have taken the lead with sustainability initiatives. While many individuals are doing their best to improve their impact on the environment, the emphasis has recently shifted to businesses, as well.
It’s difficult for consumers to fix negative environmental trends if the companies they patronize are racking up the carbon emissions before their products and services ever reach their customers.
Consumers have done their part for the environment. It’s time for businesses to step up.
Here are three key ways companies can reduce their environmental impact while also benefiting their own operational efficiency in the process.
1. Align Stakeholders
If one person recycles, it’s a nice statement, but it doesn’t actually do very much good. However, if everyone recycles, you can start to see results.
The same goes for businesses. If a single business in an industry or one part of a supply chain makes an effort, it can be inspiring, but it won’t do much. If everyone aligns their interests in favor of operating sustainably, it can create a genuine ripple effect.
Writing on sustainability in the food industry, Nicole Atchison, CEO of PURIS Holdings, a plant-based protein food manufacturer, states, “Food and agriculture contributed $1.1 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product in 2019, a 5.2% share. This system can be a source for good when all stakeholders are aligned, showing that a change is necessary, possible and profitable.”
When companies combine their collective efforts, real change can take place.
2. Embrace Paperless Business Operations
Going paperless has been a growing movement among consumers and businesses alike for years now — and with good reason.
Corp! Magazine points out that, while the paper itself isn’t too expensive, “the hidden costs of managing paper could be as much as 31 times the cost of paper.” The publication adds that U.S. businesses waste a staggering $8 billion annually on just managing paper (pre-pandemic). Record Nations also reports that paper consumption in the U.S. has risen 126% (to 208 million tons) in the last 20 years.
The remote revolution that came from the pandemic has helped ameliorate some of the dependency on physical paper. Nevertheless, as many leaders push for in-person operations again, it’s important to continue to prioritize going paperless. The effort can prevent waste and even has hidden advantages for businesses.
3. Enable Remote Work
In the same vein as going paperless, making all business operations digital tends to have a net positive impact on the environment. In late 2021, Forbes contributor Adi Gaskell highlighted multiple reports about how the “Petri dish” of the pandemic reinforced this fact.
One study found that working remotely for four days of the work week could reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions from traffic by 10%.
Remote work does have its own cost, and digital activity creates its own emissions. But Gaskell addresses this, “While consuming digital resources, such as video conferencing, burns a considerable amount of energy in data centers, the researchers argue that the net impact is still positive, with Zoom calls emitting just 0.6% of the carbon emissions generated on a typical commute.”
The responsibility for sustainability is no longer a consumer affair. Companies are being called to account for their activity. And those that cannot show that they are trying to reduce their impact on the environment will fall behind.
So, consider beneficial, effective solutions like going paperless and enabling remote work. Align your sustainability initiatives with others in your industry and supply chains, too. Do what you can to reduce your environmental impact in order to position your company for sustained success in an eco-conscious future.