The term eco-friendliness is something that gets abused quite a bit in the business world. On the one hand, it does get you a huge plus in the eyes of potential partners and customers. It also reduces the overhead of a business, due to the fact that eco-friendly solutions use less power and resources, both of which you would have to cover from your own budget. In other words, ecological sustainability is tightly correlated to the financial one. However, how does one achieve this eco-friendly status? What actions does one have to take in order to truly consider their business green? Let’s find out!
Decorating with real plants
Adding real plants to your office may seem like an idea that just adds to the maintenance of the room, yet, this is a trend that comes with numerous benefits. First of all, it reduces the overall stress level in the office by quite a margin. Second, it cleans the air and reduces the noise level, which makes the ambiance more pleasant to spend your time in. Indirectly, this gives quite the boost to the productivity of your team. In some instances, real pot plants are even known to boost creativity, even though this is nearly impossible to measure. Other than this, the visual appeal boost that comes from this practice might help your talent retention efforts by quite a bit.
Green office supplies
The way in which you supply your office has a carbon footprint, too, and you should aim to keep this as low as possible, Due to the fact that we live in an era where such matters are of the extreme importance for both the business world and individuals in it, some suppliers put an emphasis on environmental sustainability. If you too decide to go with the latest green business trends, you should opt for Winc stationary supplies for your office, as their company policy is to proactively reduce their impact on the environment and engage their suppliers to do the same.
Look at the cleaning agency you’re hiring
It’s inevitable that your business will outsource the maintenance of the premises to a professional cleaning agency, but, before you hire them, you might want to inquire about their cleaning practices. Chemicals used in the process and the percentage of natural, home-made cleaning solutions vary from agency to agency. While to you this may not seem as much, the difference that comes from this can be great indeed. The importance of this rises with the frequency with which you use these services.
Encourage your team to develop eco-friendly habits
Remember that the use of appliances, the use of light and many similar factors drastically affect both your office’s carbon footprint and your utility bill. Therefore, what you need to do is teach your team how to be more responsible with these matters. For instance, imagine a scenario in which your office has flexible work hours and only a handful of your employees are on the premises at night. Wouldn’t it make more sense to rely on their task lights than to illuminate the entire office space?
Green commuting
Finally, the eco-friendliness of your office isn’t determined only by the things that take place on the premises. Sometimes, it also has something to do with the way in which your employees get there. We’re, of course, talking about greening up the commute of your staff. The way in which this works is quite simple; all you have to do is encourage carpooling, the use of public transportation, cycling or walking to work. Keep in mind that this is not as simple as it sounds but the end result is more than worth the trouble.
Of course, there are other methods through which your office can become eco-friendly and sustainable, yet, these five need to stand at the very core of your environmental efforts. Other than this, taking up the cause (something similar to what we’ve already discussed) can also be a huge plus from both ethical and PR standpoints.
Author’s bio:
Robert Clayton is a blogger with a degree in engineering based in Sydney. His interests and passions include DIY, green technologies and home improvement. He also loves good food, music, dogs and enjoys spending time by the ocean. He’s a regular contributor for Smooth Decorator, An Australian Home improvement website.
