How New Businesses Are Making Themselves More Eco-Friendly

Becoming more eco-friendly is a challenge many businesses face, and it has become a legal requirement for most. Older, more established companies will struggle the most as they have an infrastructure that has been in place the longest and therefore is likely to be much harder to change.

One lesson they could learn is from new businesses, which might not have the same resources as their larger counterparts but instead are being smart about what they are doing in the most important areas.

#1 Remote and hybrid working

Having staff that work entirely from home or only come into the workplace a few days a week has multiple benefits for all parties, especially the environment. Workers will use less gas and create fewer emissions on their commute to work each week, and the company they work for will get through less electricity, heating, and water.

These benefits do not only suit a more eco-friendly agenda, but there can be a substantial financial benefit for both parties as travel costs and overheads will be much lower.

#2 Effective waste management

All businesses create waste, and although this will vary according to the size of the business and the industry, they can do something about it. The first step is to order from companies that also have one eye on the environmental impact of what they do and keep the amount of packaging to a minimum, most made of recyclable materials.

This will leave you less waste to deal with, but you need to manage any that you do get effectively. Using a baler is a wise move, and consulting companies like Baling Wire Direct for advice on the best wire to use will help you bundle and stack this waste until it is ready for collection

#3 Going paperless

Another step in addressing a more eco-friendly approach commonly used by newer businesses is the massive reduction in the amount of paper they use. Instead of printing out manuals or instructions, they are instead sent to tablets on the shop floor, which can be read and passed around and used to update the status of an order.

Not only does this cut down on the amount of paper usage, but it also increases efficiency, instead of having to physically update a document by removing and replacing pages. All can be updated in real-time with the touch of a button, ensuring everyone has the most up-to-date information.

#4 Look at single-use plastic use

Using less paper can mean using fewer pens, but there are other areas where single-use plastic can be reduced. This includes packaging around consumables or supplies for a break room or canteen area, like plastic cups, cutlery, or straws.

To wrap everything up

Finding eco-friendly solutions to every problem might seem next to impossible, but by making big strides in the right areas, you can start the process and get some momentum going. Cutting down waste and managing what you have is important, and this can be aided by removing as much paper as possible from your processes and cutting down on single-use plastic. You can also consider adopting hybrid working patterns, something that is likely to get no end of support from everyone who works for you.