{"id":9651,"date":"2021-08-24T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9651"},"modified":"2021-08-26T14:56:19","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T14:56:19","slug":"5-tips-green-business-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/business-tips\/5-tips-green-business-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Simple Tips To Embrace Green Business Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let\u2019s be blunt. The climate crisis is not going to be solved by a few changes to your business practices alone. \u200b\u200bIt will take a collective, global effort to tackle the climate crisis. But individual, company-wide changes will<\/em> play a crucial role in this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, the past 18 months have proven that we can institute mass social change when necessary, and businesses were at the forefront of this. Covid-19 led to the biggest change in working practices since the industrial revolution. Using the momentum of this massive change, businesses are well-placed to implement new green policies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut wait,\u201d I hear you cry, \u201cbusinesses are more vulnerable than ever. The pandemic has left many companies hanging on by a thread. They can\u2019t afford to start implementing eco-policies now.\u201d Actually, embracing green business practices doesn\u2019t have to hit your bottom line<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tree<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In fact, with government subsidies and tax relief schemes<\/a> – plus the cost-savings of various eco-initiatives – there\u2019s never been a better time to institute green business practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019ve compiled a list of 5 green business practices you could implement in your organisation today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Go paperless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Trees are the lungs of our planet. They capture carbon from the air and provide life to millions of species. Yet we continue to cut them down; to make way for grazing land for livestock, for lumber and, of course, for paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds like such a small thing, but the average office worker uses around 50 kg of paper a year \u2013 equivalent to some 10,000 sheets of A4 paper<\/a>. Switching to digital for the majority of internal communications, however, could save up to 18m acres<\/a> of forest each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Team<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, paper is increasingly obsolete in the digital workspace. With more of our daily processes moving online, paper is now typically limited to historic files and legal documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you can\u2019t make the switch to fully digital (for whatever reason), it\u2019s important your office recycles the paper it uses and buys its paper from a reputable, sustainable source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Create an eco-friendly workspace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The office is often the main source of carbon emissions for service-based businesses. Unfortunately, most businesses don\u2019t own<\/em> their office space but rent it from a commercial letting agent. That prevents businesses from making substantial changes to the infrastructure, like adding green rooves, rainwater capture and solar panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how do you optimise your office space without making fundamental changes to the structure?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can change what\u2019s inside<\/em> relatively easily. Adding energy-efficient heating and lighting appliances is a simple and effective first step. You can also adjust the layout of the office to encourage natural ventilation and improve access to natural light, reducing the dependency on artificial lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Young businessman in black modern suit with coffee cup and going to work by city bicycle on urban street in the morning, environment concept<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If your employees have to commute from a distance, offer incentives for environmentally friendly means of travel. Many companies now offer bikes to employees to reduce the number travelling by car. Likewise, partnerships with local transport authorities can prompt more employees to take public transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if some of your team have<\/em> to drive, institute a carpool scheme with rewards for those who take part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Assign an eco-liaison officer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To ensure a policy is implemented effectively across your organisation, assign the overall responsibility to a trusted member of your team. These \u201ceco-liaison officers\u201d can help manage the rollout of new policies, explain changes to your team and extoll the virtues of your new policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your team works from Anywhere<\/a>, ask your eco-liaison officer to compile a resource pack of best practices for making their home office more sustainable. It\u2019s important to remember that not every employee will have the personal space or means to implement every energy-saving measure you suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eco<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re going to supply employees with eco-friendly hardware as a company expense (ie energy-saving lightbulbs, smart power strips, etc.), ask your officer to manage the distribution in a way that minimises damage to the environment (ie through the carbon footprint of delivery, packaging, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, your eco-officer can provide you with regular feedback on the efficacy of your green business programs. That\u2019s important because embracing green business practices isn\u2019t an overnight project – it\u2019s an ongoing process that needs regular refinement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Partner with environmental NGOs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not every business – especially those that work Anywhere – can easily institute changes to their workplaces. Thankfully, there are thousands of reputable charities that, with your support, will help build a brighter, greener future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AnswerConnect, for instance, works with Trees for the Future<\/a> under the 1 Tree 1 Planet<\/a> initiative. The initiative sees TFTF plant a new tree<\/a> for every AnswerConnect employee and customer, every month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Team<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Your support doesn\u2019t have to take the form of financial payments. Encourage employees (through incentives) to contribute to environmental initiatives<\/a>. These initiatives can take many forms, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n