Customers everywhere are becoming increasingly aware of the status of the planet and are opting to engage with more sustainable businesses. This increases the pressure on small businesses to incorporate sustainability into their approach and reduce waste.
It is important to be transparent about your practices, especially when it comes to small businesses. Here are some of the ways your small business can become more sustainable with fair and healthy practices, to entice customers and keep both them and the planet, happy!
Understand the pillars of sustainability
Before you begin your sustainability journey, it’s important to understand the three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental, and economic. Every business needs to maintain a balance between the three sustainability pillars, with environmental sustainability being of top importance.
Social sustainability
- Healthy work-life balance
- Supporting gender equality and equal pay
- Adhering to employees’ encouragement and training for personal and professional growth
Economic sustainability
- Adopting health production practices
- Saving energy
- Adhering to ISO 500001 Standards
Envrionmental sustainability
- Conservation of the planet is the most important part right now
- Adopting practices for zero waste
- Stringent action must be taken to reduce harmful practices businesses have in place
Ways small businesses can improve their sustainability
1. Source Recyclable or Biodegradable Materials
The first easy step small businesses can take is to invest in Biodegradable materials. When buying a new product ask whether it is sourced sustainably and whether you can recycle or renew it.
APC are a great example of a company to work with for sustainable products. Not only do they offer environmentally friendly products under their ‘Green Premium’ ecolabel, they also have an online checker to make finding sustainable products easier than ever. They also make recycling easier than ever with their Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS) and recycling centers.
2. Practice Recycling and Reusing
To leave a zero-carbon footprint you need to ensure waste doesn’t end up at landfills. To do this, reducing and recycling products is the best way to go. APC have programs set up to take back their equipment to recycle to make the process easier for you, and otherwise, APC products can be taken to recycling centers to be properly recycled or reused.
3. Adopt sustainability packaging practices
Cardboard or paper packaging material is a smart alternative to traditional plastic packaging wrap. Research indicates that consumers prefer businesses that use paper wrap as it can be recycled or reused.
4. Indulge in business with Other Eco-Friendly Businesses
The companies you associate with will reflect on you as a business. If you’re working hard on becoming more sustainable, but the companies you work with aren’t doing the same, it will mimize your efforts.
5. Build a team who embodies these values
Surround yourself with people who believe in the cause to maximise the efforts of your business. Those who are passionate about sustainability will help you to improve your sustianabilty efforts, coming up with new ways to help and supporting the efforts already in place.
6. Slow down on paperwork
Cutting down on paperwork is an incredible easy way to help your sustainability efforts. By digitalizing your paper trail, you can help the planet and save on printing costs! When printing or paper use is unavoidable, why not try recycled paper instead?
Key tips for sustainability
1. Offer employees work-from-home options
2. Replace plastic products in the office with more sustainable products
3. Buy eco-friendly products from local businesses
4. Take accountability and work to improve
5. Be innovative in the future
Schneider Electric can help!
Schneider Electic are passionate about sustainability and encourages small businesses to follow their lead with their Green Yodha initiative. Find out more through the Schneider Electric website here.
This is just a brief look at the APC Range, if you require more Schneider Electric equipment for your business, you can check our Schneider Electric microsite for a wide range of APC products to suit your needs.
Other Schneider Electric products Available from Comms Express:
Server Racks & Accessories | NetBotz Security and Environmental Monitoring | Extended Warranty | Accessory Extended Warranty | Power Distribution Units | Uniterruptible Power Supply
If you require any further information on these or any other products that we stock here at Comms Express, please do not hesitate to contact our team who will be only too happy to help.
Until next time…
