The benefits of making your business carbon neutral

Reducing emissions and your carbon footprint in business means more than just a warm fuzzy feeling that you get knowing that you are doing your part to save the environment and fight climate change. And the best part is, you’re doing just as much good for your business during the process.

Going green in the workplace means… 

Increased revenue

The simple fact in the modern world is that people prefer to do business with socially and environmentally responsible companies. A study of consumers in the UK and the US found that 88 per cent of would choose the brands they use would help them “be more environmentally friendly and ethical in your daily life”.

That means that by not showing that your business is at least working towards being carbon-neutral, you are in danger of letting a lot of your current and potential customers down.

Enabling workers to work towards carbon-neutral solutions also encourages them to think outside of the box when it comes to new products and services, leading to more revenue streams.

Reduced costs

A big part of going carbon-neutral is adopting renewable energy solutions as a power source. Electricity costs are an enormous burden for all businesses, especially large-scale commercial and industrial operations like manufacturing, office buildings, hospitality operations like restaurants and hotels and retail.

Turning to renewable energy sources – like solar – will slash those bills, which means an immediate reduction in your electricity outlay. In many cases, you can reduce or eliminate your out-of-pocket expenses through government discounts and rebates, too.

These benefits even extend to business travel. By reducing the number of vehicles on the road and managing your commercial commutes, you can reduce emissions and related expenses. This includes reducing air travel, too.

Engaged stockholders

Consumers are not the only ones that want to deal with environmentally conscious organisations. More and more stakeholders are asking questions like: “What is your plan to reduce your emissions?”

To engage them moving forward, you will need to have a plan, and a response prepared.

How you can achieve a carbon-neutral workplace

There are many simple ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your emissions, including:

Recycling: Many businesses have already taken steps in this direction while councils around Australia provide homes and businesses options to reduce their landfill. There are significant measures to improve the recycling operations at your work though, including separate bins for recyclables; encouraging employees to recycle at home, and ensuring you recycle wherever possible. Remember that cardboard and other materials can be reused.

Renewable energy: Solar energy has never been more affordable or accessible. It’s now one of the most effective ways you can go about minimising your impact on the planet. Oh, and your wallet will love you for it. 

Encourage carpooling: This includes to and from work and commercial needs on an external basis. Try to reduce instances where you only have one person in the car by sharing your ride with someone else.

CO2 is offsetting: Once you’ve reduced your carbon footprint as much as possible, you can offset the rest by investing in various environmental projects. These will help you achieve net-zero carbon results, and embrace a cleaner future for the planet at the same time.