Businesses are under an increasing amount of pressure to become more sustainable. After all, more and more customers are looking to engage solely with companies that are trying to do their bit to fight climate change. Adopting eco-friendly habits could allow you to do something good for the environment and attract a wider pool of customers at the same time. But don't worry – it doesn't have to be anything complicated. You could help your employees make commuting more sustainable or reduce your business's energy use. You might also want to review your supply chain. Here are the simple steps to cut the carbon emissions of your business and move closer to a net zero future.
When most of your employees need to commute to work, your carbon footprint might increase over time. If your employees don't live too far, you could encourage them to walk rather than use a car. Or you could help them to finance their public transport commuting. Alternatively, you could get in touch with companies like LV ElectriX and give your employees access to salary sacrifice for electric cars. However, it would be best to consider when your employees would commute to meetings or events connected to your business. Perhaps you could provide them with more sustainable transportation options or cut the number of in-person meetings and bring them into the online realm.
Energy consumption is another critical factor that might increase your carbon footprint. Luckily, there are a few simple things that you can do to lessen the impact. For instance, you could buy more efficient equipment. You could also install programming thermostats. That way, they could run only during the working hours. If enough sunlight comes into the office during the day, you should avoid turning on the lights. When the days are darker, make sure you use LED lights rather than other types of lighting. These might help you to save some energy and provide you with lighting that's just as good. And when your employees don't use the equipment or are leaving at the end of the day, ensure that they unplug everything. In the end, you might be able to reduce your energy use and carbon emissions significantly.
You might be surprised how much the supply chain can influence your carbon footprint. So, it's important that you review it at every level. It's one of the easiest things to do, but it can make a significant impact on your carbon emissions. First, you should look for suppliers using sustainable practices and trying to impact the environment positively. When you work with unsustainable suppliers, your emissions might skyrocket. If you're unsure whether the supplier has adopted sustainable practices, all you need to do is ask about their carbon emissions data. Or you could check their accreditations. That way, you might be able to ensure that they're trying to measure and improve their environmental impact.