5 Simple Ways To Be A Green And Sustainable Company

Companies are increasingly aware of the environment due to the alarming data on pollution and destruction of the planet’s natural resources that have been published in recent years. Achieving an ecological company not only requires reducing printing costs or investing in more efficient technology but also involving all workers in the responsible use of resources.

Pollution occurs through many different sources and affects the environment as well as people and our health. For this reason, world organizations in defense of the environment, warn of the urgent need to take measures in all areas to reduce the use and discharge of dangerous pollutants.

Many of these substances or habits that we have, both at work and home, are harmful to the environment and also to health, without us being aware of it, in most cases.

For example, a dripping faucet, with one drop per second, can waste 30 liters of water per day. Another worrying fact is that the decomposition of a plastic bag can take between 15 and a thousand years or that a single liter of oil can contaminate up to a thousand of water.

Some Environmental Pollution Facts

We have data that is so worrying that more than a quarter of the deaths of children under five in the world are a direct consequence of environmental pollution, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Another alarming figure, according to reports from the European Commission, is that each year more than 400,000 people die prematurely as a result of the poor quality of the air they breathe.

Heart attacks, chronic respiratory diseases, strokes, and lung cancer… are some of the consequences related of air pollution that is produced due to the improper use of certain substances by industries and homes.

However, the fact of implementing measures that involve a reduction in environmental impact as well as energy savings supposes an investment that companies must face and that not all of them are willing to do.

Ecological Company: What Is It And What Advantages Does It Have?

Industries account for an important part of pollution data worldwide, so awareness, although it must start in homes, must be transferred to companies.

An ecological company requires, first of all, a study and planning of the impact that its actions and activities have on the environment. Based on this analysis, you must implement practices that help reduce this environmental impact.

Many times, the need to make an investment in studies as well as in programs or efficient technology pushes back some companies that are unaware that over time, they will be more profitable.

In addition to profitability in the medium and long term, another advantage of being an ecological company is that they are better accepted by consumers. A clear example of this is the agricultural companies, whose products, free of additives, fertilizers, or insecticides, are increasingly in demand and are considered to be of higher quality despite being more expensive.

Better consumption of resources is another of the benefits of reducing the polluting processes in the company that consume a lot of energy since, in the long run, they represent considerable savings and therefore an increase in the profitability of the company.

The noise produced by some devices in the office or the excessive use of air conditioning, the printer, the fax… supposes stress and annoys the workers. Therefore, green companies have more focused and productive staff.

These are some of the advantages of becoming an ecological company, in addition, of course, to contributing to the improvement of the environment.

5 Ways to Get a Green Company

Now that you are aware of the importance and advantages of being an ecological company, we are going to give you some tips to achieve it in a short time.

1. Plan Your Goals

The first thing you should do, in addition to ordering that environmental impact study generated by your activity and the actions carried out in your company, is to plan what your short and medium-term objectives are. It is preferable to start little by little with achievable goals and from there to invest more in more efficient technology or tools that benefit the environment, such as the digitization of documents.

Actions such as awareness campaigns, using recycled paper, or programming or limiting the use of certain devices that consume energy, can be very beneficial practices.

2. Raise Employee Awareness

Involving all staff is very important to successfully become a green company. Respect for the environment must form part of the company’s culture and philosophy and it would even be more effective if there were a department in charge of ensuring proper compliance with the actions implemented.

Some easy practices to implement, which also do not involve cost, are:

There will be more people and others less involved, so it is important to know how to motivate them without seeming an imposition so that they alone become aware of the problem.

3. Have a Document Manager

The digitization of the company’s physical documentation is a very effective way of reducing costs and helping to reduce pollution levels.

Once you’ve taken that step, and even before you’ve gone through a full digital transformation, having document management software is one of the best ways to go green. In addition, although in principle it involves investment, it is one of the practices that organizations make profitable in a short time and that brings more advantages not only for the environment but also for the increase in employee productivity and the reduction of personnel costs. and maintenance, among many others.

4. Reward Commitment

Some people show greater interest in the new actions that are launched in their work, and being more respectful of the environment does not have to be an obligation for workers. For this reason, and even more so if it is not part of their functions and you also do not have a department that monitors compliance with the actions, it is good to reward their commitment to the environment.

Setting challenges or even games to encourage the responsible consumption of resources is an effective way of involving employees.

5. Actions Involving Direct Benefits

About the above, it is true that if someone is not aware, it will be more difficult for them to collaborate. For example, reducing spending on paper or toner is not a direct advantage for a worker, who will not have to pay for that expense, so it is more difficult for them to get involved in this regard.

However, if we invest in more efficient technology or in programs or tools that facilitate their work and save time in the performance of their duties, the less committed workers will appreciate these advantages, and little by little they will become aware of the rest of the measures. start-ups.

There are more and more ecological companies not only in the United States but in the world. Becoming one of them, especially if it is a start-up, is not difficult or resource-intensive compared to the up-front and long-term benefits. Respect for the surroundings and the environment should not be done just to take care of our resources but also to stop the disastrous consequences they have for the health of all of us who inhabit this planet.