Do you recycle? Do you ever think about your carbon emissions?

What about from a business point of view? Different story?

Enough with the questions. It’s time, if you don’t already, to think about what your business is doing… or can do for the environment.

Whether it’s important to you from an environmental point of view or as a selling point, being an eco-friendly business is something to be considered.

There are various ways that you can bring your business up to scratch when it comes to reducing carbon emissions but if you’re looking for easy wins, you may find these suggestions pretty helpful!

Think about your resources! Look around…

Have a look at your work surroundings and consider how much thought has been put into making things eco-friendlier. Have a think about your consumers and question whether your carbon footprint could affect their choice to be associated with you. It’s so important to think about and make decisions when you look from the business’ perspective and that of your consumers. With regards to how to do this, it could be anything from recycled paper, business cards used on recycled stock or bigger aspects like furniture, travel arrangements and businesses processes.

Travel

You hear it all the time, and in reality, it’s not always that easy to use public transport instead of to drive or cycle to work. And in fact, just 4% of commuters cycled to work in 2014! With so many options available for greener alternatives of transportation, it’s time we actively did something about it. In an ideal world, cycle superhighways will increase across the UK but this is somewhat a distant expectation for now.

However, as a business, can incentives be offered to provide staff with reasons to change their habits? Can you make things easier for them so that they can cycle to work or offer a car parking space for those who take part in a car sharing scheme? Think outside the box, make it easy for your employees and don’t be afraid to try ideas out.

Share the Love

You may well be an eco-friendly champion but the big question is; have you told anyone or suggested that they should too? Email footers are such an easy way to encourage others to think about their carbon emissions. You’ve probably seen emails that at the bottom of the signature, ask if you really need to print it? It really works!

Combine your branding, use your organisations' tone of voice and ask your recipients too – you don’t know who you may influence!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

So simple! But not always a priority as working on your business has a funny way of being the centre of attention! If you struggle to be on your eco-friendly game, set up a system so that it becomes second nature. Signage, correct bins and if you have to, incentives! Do your bit; reduce unnecessary packaging by looking for products that use less and reuse where you can. Disposable items are handy, granted, but reusing can reduce the need for so many of the disposable products on offer these days. We’re living in a society where recycling should be very simple but people are often put off by the do’s and don’ts of what goes where.

Go green on products

The world is your oyster when it comes to green marketing strategies so get stuck in! Whether it’s using recycled stock for your business cards, office paper or direct mail; or eco-friendly promotional pens and pencils to spread the word about your business. Just think of it as old school marketing tricks (that work!), with an eco-friendly, modern twist. You’ll be surprised by the reaction you’ll get from those around you, potential new opportunities and last but not least, the good deed that you’re doing for our planet.

So think about it! Can your business be an eco-friendly warrior?

Good luck!