Why Should Businesses Care about Environmental Sustainability?
It’s clear why environmental sustainability is a benefit to the earth. That’s why many people have enacted green practices in their own homes to cut down on the number of resources they use — and waste.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the practice can have a positive effect on businesses, too. But they benefit from more than just the feel-good vibes that come with looking after the planet every day. Here are six reasons businesses should care about sustainability, too.
1. They’ll Save Money
For starters, optimizing your company’s processes will save on resources. Because you no longer have to buy as many supplies or spend as much on utilities, you’ll save money — and protect the environment in the process.
Many of the steps to take to make a business run more sustainably mirror the ones you can take at home to go green. Things like swapping old light bulbs for the newer, more efficient version, or upgrading to computers that require much less electricity, could potentially save millions of dollars over time.
2. They’ll Improve Their Image
Showing you care about more than just your bottom line will undoubtedly impress potential clients and customers. In fact, in a survey of 53,000 people, the National Marketing Institute found 58 percent of them consider a company’s environmental impact before buying. If you extrapolate that percentage the entire U.S. population, it’s easy to see how a sustainable reputation could open your business to 68 million potential customers.
Larger companies project a more sustainable image through marketing. Commercials and other easy-to-digest content will show consumers what you’re doing to protect the earth — and they’ll feel good about using your business because of that.
3. They’ll Hold Onto Employees
No one likes to spend 40 hours a week working for a company they don’t believe in. By giving your business a mission of sustainability, you’ll make your employees feel proud to work for you — and, for that reason, they might just stick around a while longer.
4. They’ll Impress Shareholders
To that end, your shareholders know what will take your business far: sustainability. Why would someone want to invest in a company that takes a ton of resources to run? After enacting green practices within your business, be sure to share this information with your investors. Learning how to report sustainability is important for informing shareholders, and it can aid in projecting a positive image to outsiders, to boot.
5. They’ll Increase Productivity
Sustainability often comes after business leaders take a critical look at their own practices and whittle them down to their most efficient, least environmentally damaging versions. Because everything becomes streamlined, this means most processes speed up to boost the company’s overall productivity.
6. They’ll Be Ready for Future Regulations
Many regulations are already in place to protect the earth. Businesses have obviously had to conform to restrictions based on their use of energy, resources, etc. It’s safe to assume these types of laws will only become stricter in the future as resources become more and more precious. On top of that, relying on dwindling sources of energy to operate isn’t good for business, either.
So, becoming sustainable now will more than prepare a company for future regulations meant to protect the earth, even for standards as simple as water quality for the health of their employees. Even if they’re not in compliance right away, the experience of becoming eco-friendly will aid in the process of making things even more sustainable.
This concerted effort from the government, business leaders, shareholders and consumers to protect the earth will only make the entire planet a better place to live — and that might just be the most important reason for companies to become more sustainable now.
Green Jobs
How to Apply for a Green Job With the demand for green jobs skyrocketing so far in 2017, giving yourself a unique edge can be difficult—yet absolutely necessary—in order for you to become a proud worker for Mother Earth. Follow these steps to successfully claim your next environmentally friendly employment opportunity. 1. Resume: Make sure … Continue reading..
