11 Steps Towards A Greener, More Ethical Business

The ways we do business are always changing. Whether it’s due to technology, the markets or a culture shift. Nowadays, that shift is leading consumers and business leaders alike to think in terms of creating greener, more ethical business. Not just money, but ecology. There is a push for business to be responsible in terms of how we impact the environment. As well as the people and communities that the business is at the center of. If you want to get ahead of that growing trend, here are some changes you might need to start marking.

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Look at your company as it stands

The first thing that needs to be done is a bit of introspection. Looking at the way your company currently works. The resources it uses, the community it’s a part of and what is has to offer besides products. There are tools that can help you measure exactly what your carbon footprint is, for example. In other cases, it may be a look at company policy. A closer look at the assurances you make to both your staff and the public. If you need to know what changes need to be made first, understanding the current situation is a priority.

 

Looking at your products and services

So, a company wants to make the biggest impact it can towards being more socially responsible. The first place it needs to focus its efforts is on what it offers. The products and services they offer themselves. Not just in terms of the ingredients used and composition of the product, but in the production methods as well. These changes are starting to prove more profitable, regardless of industry. For example, you can look at the success of Just Mayo’s push for egg-free, carbon reduced mayonnaise and the trend it started. Visit LA Times for the piece on Just Mayo and read up on changes within your own industry. It’s an investment, but one that’s already starting to pay off for the early adopters.

 

Energy consumption

Of course, it’s not just the services and products and how you produce them, either. A lot of the work and resource consumption of a company comes from the workplace itself. Once you’ve done your audit using tools like the carbon footprint calculator above, you need to start thinking strategy. For one thing, you need to think about the temperature control in the office. The electric components of a HVAC system are some of the most energy costly. Making physical changes to the windows, ventilation and insulation of the office can cut those costs right down. Similarly, whilst you want to provide as much lighting for your staff as possible, this can also be a constant cost. Consider options like LED lights instead.

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Water consumption

It’s more than energy that needs to be conserved, however. Water scarcity is a real problem and one that’s starting to grow more serious. Yet still it’s not taken as seriously or as widespread implemented as cuts to energy consumption. Be one of those to start taking it seriously early and try to limit the amount of water that your business uses. Again, it’s an investment, but one that pays off in terms of reduced water bills as well the peace of mind of doing your part. This investment can include buying tech for the office that saves water. Technology like sensor based taps, waterless urinals or efficient flush toilets. Similarly, try to educate your employees on the smart use of water in the office.

 

Paper everywhere

In terms of carbon consumption, your products and energy usage play a big role. But what can also play a big role of its own is the use of paper. Most offices still make use of significant amounts of paper for the day-to-day administration of the company. However, it’s not only better for the environment and most cost effective to go paperless. It can just as well save you a lot of space in the office as well as make it easier to organized. Digital technology is making it easier, cheaper and faster to switch over to a mostly paperless system. We know you can’t cut paper from your office entirely, but you can drastically decrease the role it has to play in your business.

 

Get into recycling

Regardless of whether it’s paper or anything else, we shouldn’t just be trying to reduce the amounts we use. Even with reduction, the amount of resources that a business can go through is significant. In fact, massively outweighs the average amounts that a household goes through. For that reason, your efforts in recycling should also be a lot more extensive than the average household. Even making simple purchases such as installing recycling bins for the office. This can make it easier for your staff to responsibly dispose of used paper, plastic bottles and lots of other reusable waste. It goes for the bigger aspects of waste, too. For example, making charitable donations of old equipment.

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Be part of the community

Social responsibility isn’t just about the resources we can reduce, reuse and recycle. If you care about the world we live in, your company should show as much care for the people around it as well. Few companies can live without the support of the community. From their employees to their customers and the businesses they work in tandem with. Foster goodwill between business and community by getting more involved in it. Teach your employees the value of civic engagement. Help them get involved in initiatives with the support that the workplace can offer. Hire the right people to start with, by looking at those engaged in the community as an asset to have in the business. Delegate office involvement to the most keen amongst you.

 

Identify with causes

One of the ways to enable a more community focused approach is by looking at the ways that your business can give back. Getting involved with causes helps everyone involved. The charity or organization you’re working with will have need of your resources. The community will be a better place to live in. Your company will even enjoy the publicity and goodwill that comes with getting involved in good deeds. There are a lot of ways to get involved in charity. Promotions that offer a significant proportion of your gains directly to a cause. Offering your skills and expertise in helping them market or run a campaign. Even running things like food and clothes drives in the office can help you do your bit.

 

Treat your employees right

Of course, you can’t profess to be a business for the people if you’re not acting in the interests of your own employees, too. Ethical treatment of staff has always been a subject that people get passionate with. Treating your employees well isn’t just a way to create a good company image. It does a lot to help the company culture and the health of the workplace, too. It even helps employees perform better on an individual level. Make your office a place that your employees want to be. Take care of them and they’ll work harder to make sure they deserve a spot in a company that actually shows some care for them.

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Treat your customers right, too

One of the most important ways that you should look to act more socially responsible is in how you deal with your customers. They want to know that they’re not being mistreated or misled, so takes steps to be more ethical in how you treat them. Be open about any information gathering you do. Ensure that they know you’re not sharing their personal data with other organizations. Be direct and truthful in your marketing, avoiding terms that can be misleading. Get in touch with them and learn directly from your customers about what they like and what they want from your business. Foster a good relationship with your customers and you’ll find them a lot more loyal.

 

Get some help

We know that it can be difficult to organize all these changes at once. If you want to be serious about making your business greener and more socially responsible, be open to getting help. There are all kinds of groups and services that can help you make those transition. Environmental consulting firms are a growing industry in their own right. They help businesses of all kinds make greener decisions. Similarly, you as an entrepreneur should look to join groups about civic and social responsibility. Get behind causes that involve treating businesses, staff and customers more fairly. The more support and knowledge you build, the easier it will be to continue to always move further in terms of being responsible. All you need is the will to reach out.

 

We hope this article has pointed out just a few ways you can make a more responsible business. These steps are not only good for their own merit, but nowadays are proving a profitable choice. People vote with their wallets and those wallets are leading them more and more to socially responsible companies.

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About Dequiana Jackson

Dequiana Jackson, Founder of Inspired Marketing, Inc., helps overachieving women entrepreneurs conquer limiting beliefs and create marketing plans that grow their businesses. This includes one-on-one marketing plan development, digital product creation, web design and content marketing. Dequiana is the author of Know Your Business: How to Attract Ideal Clients & Sell More and runs the award-winning blog, Entrepreneur-Resources.net.

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