Smart budgeting and expense optimization are the #1 concern of any new company. However, the business world is changing today and it not “all about money” anymore. Among other things, businesses have to work hard on their reputation, public image and the impact their activity makes.
Going green is not just one of the hottest trends in the modern business world but more of an imperative that determines the enterprise’s overall success and the willingness of customers, investors, and business partners to associate themselves with the company.
The practice shows that environmental thinking helps businesses create a positive image and provides lots of money-saving solutions. That is why once a company “goes green” from the very beginning, it gets a chance to “kill two birds with one stone” – save the planet and its budget in one move.
Energy-efficient solutions
Every business owner knows that the lion’s budget share does not go on commodities, promotion or product developments. Those are utility costs that can quickly turn into thousands in spending depending on the size and needs of the business.
Optimizing utility costs through energy-saving solutions and policies within the workplace don’t just help businesses save lots of money on electricity bills but help them overcome light and noise pollutions – the notorious environmental hazards of modern cities. Changing standard light fixtures in the office or warehouse with LED lighting, raising awareness about the business’s ecological impact, promoting energy-saving policies within the team – those are solutions that will help a company cut utility costs and establish itself as a sustainable, environmentally-friendly enterprise.
Introducing reusable products
The idea of reusable equipment and supplies in business is pretty clear. From a long-term perspective, this policy turns out to be more money-efficient than endless consumption of disposable goods. At the same time, it helps a business minimize its impact on the environment through waste reduction.
However, going green through reusable goods can also become a powerful promotional tool, which is most attractive for new businesses. Offering your customers and visitors branded stationery, replacing plastic bags and disposable packaging with reusable solutions will instantly raise the brand’s recognizability in the outer world.
Pre-owned and refurbished office furniture
Once a new business needs to purchase equipment or furnish an office, purchasing pre-owned office furniture is another way to save money and support the planet at the same time.
On the one hand, a new business gets a chance to purchase more advanced and sophisticated equipment or office furniture on the existing budget or save a great deal of money and stream it on other essential things such as promotion, office renovation, etc.
But at the same time, purchasing second-hand office furniture has significant environmental benefits:
- It saves natural resources needed for the manufacture of new office furniture;
- It reduces pollution from the manufacture itself and long-distant transportation from factories overseas.
Second-hand office furniture is also a great time-saver for a business as you don`t have to wait for several weeks needed to manufacture and deliver it to your office. Used office furniture is already fully built, assembled and waiting for you at the dealer`s location.
Transportation solutions
Efficient transportation is another crucial success for a business. However, a new company can optimize spending and go green through environmentally-friendly transportation solutions such as carpooling, public transportation, courier services, etc.
In this case, a business saves itself from the purchase and maintenance spending on corporate transportation. It prevents air pollution by reducing the number of vehicles on roads or not adding new ones.
Encouraging employees to adopt carpooling has other benefits for the business. Practice shows that this trend helps to build healthy and productive relationships between colleagues.
Reducing paper use
Although the world is digitalizing rapidly, many businesses still tend to use (and waste) a lot of paper in their operation. Eventually, copy paper becomes a significant expenditure item in the company’s budget and one of the most wasteful business activity factors. And, of course, paper is not the most secure and reliable information repository you may find today.
At the same time, paper manufacture is one of the most resourceful industries, which is associated with deforestation, air and water pollution.
By using cloud networks and digitalization of document circulation, businesses make their operation more efficient, secure and environmentally friendly. Simultaneously, a company saves money and space on costly and massive office machines and paper purchase and storage.
Conclusion
Going green has numerous financial and practical benefits for a new business. It offers an opportunity to establish the workflow in the most cost-efficient and contemporary manner from the very beginning. At the same time, through environmentally-friendly solutions, businesses get a chance to build a positive image in the eyes of customers and investors who will want to associate themselves with the brand.