Business sustainability has an average of 2,400 monthly searches in the UK while the keyword phrase ‘green business’ receives an average monthly search total of 1,900, up 19% year-on-year.
In this article, we take a look at the number of benefits to going green for your business.
What do the experts say about going green?
There’s no denying, in the net zero fuelled Britain we live in, going green has never been more important for businesses.
Doing so has a number of benefits – as Sage notes ‘going green will not just help your business to drive revenue and solidify its reputation, it will also help the planet.’
Entrepreneur Jacqueline Novograte said: “many big business leaders are seeing the relationship between long term success and sustainability and that’s very heartening.”
While former CEO of Unilever, Niall Fitzgerald, added : “corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it…because it is good for us business.”
Money saving
Although you might assume that going green is going to cost your business, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that it can actually result in significant savings.
Going paperless
This is one of the easiest implementations to your business when it comes to protecting the environment.
Cutting paper from your operations can enhance security, protect resource time, and significantly reduce business costs.
A report by recordnations.com detailed the costs that could be avoided through a paperless office space.
Their research highlights costs associated with a 100-employee business on an average wage of £12 per hour housing 24 filing cabinets.
They predict that the annual cost of paper for the business is approximately £6,498 while the filing cabinets used to store the paper are estimated to cost £6,854.
What does this mean for your business? Well, if you were to rid your business of environment damaging paper, you’d be saving yourself a small fortune on an annual basis…
Green energy
A retrospective analysis of green energy probably doesn’t paint the most appealing picture for businesses thinking about cutting costs; it was often considered to carry a hefty price tag that aligned with a ‘nice-to-do’ approach, rather than one of benefit or necessity.
There exist a number of ways in which your business can benefit from a green energy supplier when it comes to monetary advantages:
- Reduced energy bills through the many different types of renewable energy
- Energy price protecting through the supply of your own power
- Selling back to the grid – if you’re making more energy than you can use, you can start selling energy that will offset the initial costs associated with the setup of renewable energy
- Green energy incentives – there exist an extensive range of green energy incentives that are easily available to your business
Improved company reputation
Some of the most successful businesses in the 21st century are those who’ve successfully brought their consumers closer.
Loyalty, now, is achieved through a meaningful connection, it’s about “paying attention to customers and supporting the kind of causes they are interested in,” notes Shan Schutte, from Real Business.
According to an international survey by Engine Group: “more than 80 per cent of people respect companies and brands that adopt eco-friendly practices.” Forbes add, ‘virtually all consumers are worried about at least one environmental issue with more than half willing to boycott companies with unsustainable practices or products.’
This also lends itself to companies who’re vying to win business in the public sector too.
Social value has become somewhat of a pre-requisite for success when competing for government contracts, so improved company reputation through a green outlook will inevitably stand you in good stead when it comes to tendering.
Attracting the best staff time after time
Did you know that the implementation of an impactful mission statement has been proven to improve recruitment, retention, and the morale of staff?
A study by Inc. found that companies who are considered to be green are likely to house staff that are more satisfied with their jobs.
It isn’t just the outlook of the company either – going green for a business can have physical impacts on staff.
Adding greenery to the office space, improving ventilation, and introducing energy saving LED lightbulbs have been found to have a positive impact on employee’s physical health.
How to begin the journey to green-greatness
Don’t panic if you’re not already doing the above – it won’t cost you millions of pounds and you can do it in increments.
The changes don’t have to be ground-breaking either.
Call upon the help of a waste management business, get smarter with your sourcing and your packaging, and work with your staff to recognise the benefits of zero waste – these won’t break the bank and you will, inevitably, see the positive results.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the range of opportunities for businesses in the aforementioned public sector, book a free trial today.
