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Businesses produce significant amounts of waste, which can impact the environment, but also transportation and costs. In the UK alone, ventures generate about 44 million tonnes of waste yearly, and much of it ends up in landfills. For this reason, more businesses are now willing to embrace sustainability and look for ways to manage waste. This is because they don’t want to be part of the problem, so they choose to be part of the solution instead. Fortunately, implementing green initiatives in your business doesn’t require a significant financial investment. It can be something as simple as cutting down on paper usage.
What is sustainability in business, and why does it matter?
A sustainable business is a business that operates without affecting the environment or community. Companies have a strong responsibility in society, but failing to assume it leads to issues like inequality, environmental degradation, and social injustice. Sustainability looks different for every business, depending on the goals and values of the company. It can mean:
- Utilizing sustainable materials in manufacturing;
- Optimizing supply chains to decrease gas emissions;
- Sponsoring education funds for young people in your local community;
- Using renewable energy sources.
The main reason why businesses should go green is to protect the planet and help combat current global challenges. The generated waste that you don’t manage can harm the environment, affecting those living near your business area and threatening wildlife. On top of that, industrial waste leads to climate change, causing anomalies like typhoons or prolonged rainy seasons. Inevitably, improper waste management affects people’s health, leading to irritable skin and digestive or respiratory issues. These aspects reflect the importance of sustainability in business, and you can play your part in protecting the environment by reducing waste in your company. Doing this will bring many business benefits, including improved financial performance.
What are the steps to create a sustainable business?
Embracing sustainability can drive a business’s success, and there are different ways to reduce your business waste to the minimum.
Consider your purchasing strategy
One step to dealing with your business waste is to take an honest look at what you put into it. Do you purchase only the things indispensable to your business or get stuff you don’t really need? Purchasing fewer materials means that there will be less waste, so consider your strategy for buying things for your business.
You should focus on decreasing the amount of packaging whenever possible, and an efficient way to do this is to buy in bulk. Bulk purchase that comes from a single distribution place ensures that the items will all be transported at the same time. This can reduce the amount of carbon that vehicles produce when delivering goods to ventures and the amount of paper wasted in the administrative process.
Calculate the waste you produce
Your waste management provider can weigh your waste and give accurate readings. This will help you determine precisely what you produce, putting you in a better position when reducing it. You can evaluate possible reductions and estimate how much waste each employee produces.
That way, you’ll be able to challenge your team to contribute with ideas that will help streamline waste production.
Recycle as much as you can
Recycling is an effective way to reduce waste to a significant degree. Nowadays, many materials can be recycled, such as glass, metal, plastics, bricks, wood, batteries, paper, cardboard, and more. To start recycling, you should sort the materials adequately and look for ways to store them.
Generally, ventures subscribe to a recycling scheme that enables the materials to be collected on a regular basis and then taken away to a facility. A baling press is another practical solution for recycling materials. Businesses in specific sectors such as warehouses, supermarkets and food production factories use baling presses to dispose of waste sustainably. You can look online for a guide to a baling press to understand more about this waste management machine and its benefits.
Avoid single-use
According to scientific research, plastic could surpass the number of fish living in the ocean by 2050. This is why businesses should avoid single-use of plastic and other disposable materials. If you don’t already provide free water refills at your company, you should consider doing so.
Provide glasses and reusable water bottles, and encourage your team members to use reusable containers for food if possible. Another practical way to limit single-use is to invest in reusable cutlery and dishware. Also, you can purchase plastic-free tea bags and reduce the usage of items like clingfilm.
Go paperless
Paper is among the most common types of waste that offices generally produce. Around 10 000 sheets of paper are used annually, while 30% of the documents are not picked up from the printer. Businesses are now taking action in this regard by going paperless, as this enables them to reduce both the paper that is produced and that which is wasted. For instance, you can buy recycled paper or reuse envelopes where possible. With current smart devices like cloud computing, businesses can now store documents safely.
It can also be effective to implement a companywide paperless policy. You can use online invoices, send electronic memos, and sign documents virtually. While employees should avoid printing documents, if that’s really necessary, make sure to encourage them to print on two sides of the paper instead of one. You can even promote sustainability by adding a note to the email signature and reminding your team to protect the environment by avoiding printing as much as possible.
Consider composting
While you may not find composting suitable for your venture, organic waste makes up a considerable proportion of the trash you produce, so it can be a good idea to implement this in your company.
You can start by purchasing compostable items and setting up a composting scheme yourself or send the materials to professionals who can deal with them effectively. You can make use of compost to save money or sell it to others.
The bottom line
Waste management is crucial for companies, considering the impact they have on the planet. Business owners have a huge responsibility, and they must be aware of the role they play in society and the outcome of their operations on the environment. By implementing change, businesses can reduce waste and contribute to a healthier planet.
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To make your business greener, you can also consider buying used equipment. This way, you reduce CO2 emissions and save materials and energy. Also, by buying used equipment, you save money. You’d be surprised how much you can save on items that are as good as new just because someone else has owned that product before you.