7 Easy tips to make your business more eco-friendly in 2022

Published on 2022-04-22

Making your business eco-friendly is a smart decision for the planet, as well as for your business’s image. Being eco-friendly is a selling point in 2022, which is why it’s a win-win situation for your business and your customers.

If you’re a business owner and you think that your efforts to become more sustainable go unnoticed you should know that even a small change can make a substantial impact on the planet and your business. In recent years, 85% of consumers have become greener in their purchasing decisions.

Here are 7 easy to implement tips that can help you make your business greener in 2022!

 

1. Understand your impact

 

Tip #1 is to understand the environmental impact your business and industry have on the environment because only then you can become aware of what you should improve. Green Element, an environmental management consultancy recommends businesses set themselves Science Based Targets, because you can’t reduce what you can’t measure. A great way to get started is by figuring out your current carbon footprint, using a footprint comparison tool.

We spoke to Andrew Winston, an expert, advisor, and widely read writer on sustainable business, who advises that a great way to get the ball rolling is to understand your business’s environmental impact, but also warns against reinventing the wheel:

Go to your industry association, or big customers or suppliers, or look at competitor sustainability reports if they exist. See where they are focused.

The first thing is really to understand your environmental impacts in the business and throughout the value chain. Some rough estimates of carbon emissions from operations and where the biggest emissions might be, either with suppliers or customers. For a company making products that use energy every day, the largest impact is likely to be how energy efficient you make the product. But with steel or aluminum in products, there’s also a supply chain footprint. The point is that it’s rarely your own impacts that are the biggest.

 

2. Work from home

 

Not only is it great for employee wellbeing but offering your employees to get work done from home is great for the planet. Working from home eliminates the unnecessary use of vehicles and equals to less CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere.

If remote work isn’t a possibility in your industry, encourage your employees to ride a bicycle to work, it is known for increasing cardiovascular fitness, and decreasing stress levels. And even better, it’s completely emission-free. Another idea is to promote carpooling to your employees, it’s a great way to reduce emissions for those long-distance commuters who are trying to be more sustainable.

 

3. Be mindful of your energy use

 

Energy contributes to about 70% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, so it is a point to focus on, not only to reduce costs but to reduce your footprint. Simple things can go a long way. Such as:

• Get an energy audit

An energy audit helps you analyse your energy use and outlines where you can reduce costs and minimize energy use. Many electric utility companies offer audits for free.

• Purchasing energy-efficiency appliances

Purchasing an energy-efficient fridge, air conditioning or dishwasher makes a difference. You can check the energy labels of the appliances, which are usually classified from A to G (A being most efficient) before making a purchase.

• Use natural daylight to your advantage

Natural light has great benefits to the cardiac cycles and enhances the sense of wellbeing. Use daylight to your advantage and place your desks and key areas near the windows to reduce the need for turning the lights on during the day.

 

4. Buy secondhand furniture

 

Buy second-hand furniture whenever possible, it comes at a low cost and it’s eco-friendly. Secondhand furniture has been increasing in popularity because you can find high-quality items,  that would otherwise end up in a landfill when they could be used for the years to come.

 

5. Be mindful of your paper use

 

A basic principle of being more eco-friendly is being more mindful of the resources you use, so using paper only when necessary is a good starting point. Did you know that 70% of office waste is paper?

• Only print when necessary. Encourage your employees to only use the printer when it’s essential.
• No more paper notes. Taking digital notes is so easy with many note-taking apps available.
• Only print flyers when essential. Most of them end up in the streets or in landfills.
• Go digital as much as possible. When it comes to receipts, invoicing, and documents, send them digitally.
• Think about your packaging. Does your packaging use unnecessary plastic? Try switching to another type of packaging such as compostable, recycled cardboard and paper. See more options here.

 

6. Switch to renewable energy

 

If it’s possible, switching to renewable energy is an important thing to consider. Not only will it not run out, but it’s also an eco-friendly solution. Big companies like Apple and Google have already made this switch to renewable energy.

Points to consider:

• It never runs out. One of the best parts of renewable energy sources is that they don’t run out, whilst natural gas, coal and oil do.
• Benefits the planet. Renewable energy reduces the need for fossil-based energy sources that pollute and emit harmful greenhouse gases to our environment.
• Save money. Though the cost upfront might seem high, renewable energy requires less maintenance, and in the upcoming years, it is likely that governments will be offering tax credits or financial support to those who use renewable energy sources.

 

7. Buy products with eco-labels

 

Of course, you won’t always have the possibility to buy secondhand products every time. Sometimes you’ll have to buy appliances for your workspace or office that have an environmental impact. It’s best not to delve into the unknown and instead always choose products with clear eco-labels or certifications that inform you about their footprint and energy efficiency.

If you’re already looking for products with eco-labels, why not consider another important sustainability aspect: accessibility. In many countries, businesses are required by law to fulfill certain accessibility standards. Despite this, in the UK businesses lose 2 billion pounds per month due to poor accessibility. If you want to accommodate your customers and be eco-friendly at the same time, looking for a mobility solution with eco-labels is a way to make the right choice.

If you are looking for an eco-friendly accessibility solution, Cibes provides an Environmental Product Declaration for our best-selling lift the Cibes A5000.  We also give you the option to opt for an EcoSilent Drive system that carries an Energy Label A and runs with 45% less energy than a lift without, a great investment for your business and the planet.

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