How to Make Your Business Premises More Sustainable and Why it Matters

There are always more ways to improve your business. One thing that can be especially beneficial is to become a more sustainable business. There are some misconceptions about sustainability. Some people think that you’re essentially raising your costs without any solid benefits to your company.

But sustainability can be one of the keys to a successful business, and it can even save you money or help you earn more. Here are a few of the benefits of improving how sustainable your company is, as well as a few ways to do so.

Benefits of Sustainable Business

So, why boost sustainability?

The obvious and most ethical reason is that it’s good for the planet. While individuals can definitely do their part, companies and corporations often have the most power to effect real change when it comes to being more environmentally friendly. So, if you’re passionate about the planet and trying to prevent things like climate change and excess pollution, it makes sense that you’d want to have as sustainable a business as possible.

But there are financial and strategic advantages to being sustainable as well.

For starters, this can be a great marketing tool to attract customers who share your values about sustainability. If you can prove that your company is eco-friendly, you can attract the kind of people who are willing to pay a little bit more to support a business that supports the planet. This can set you apart from your competitors.

Other incentives might be that your local government offers grants and awards to companies that can prove that they are being more environmentally friendly. Look into potential tax breaks or other grants that governments use to encourage businesses to be more sustainable, as it could be worth making a few changes.

Finally, sustainability doesn’t always mean something has to be more expensive. Often, sustainable business practices are also more efficient, allowing you to spend less on utilities or materials.

Creating a Sustainability Plan

The first step is to create a sustainability plan. As mentioned earlier, every business has its weak spots and can improve in one way or another. So do a sustainability audit of your business.

Is your company wasting energy, water, or other resources? Does your company have long and resource-intensive supply chains, where goods have to be transported long distances? How do you package your products? You can also ask your employees for their input, as they may have noticed issues that you don’t. Government guidelines and audits can also provide some helpful information.

Once you know where your company can improve, you can start making real changes. Don’t make every change at once, as this can cause different problems. But create a list, or a plan, as well as a timeline, and work through it.

Reducing Utility Waste

One of the best ways to save money and the planet is to reduce utility waste. There are a few ways to do this.

First, consider switching to smart thermometers and even lighting systems. This means that, when nobody is in the office, you don’t end up heating and lighting a big empty building. Set it to switch off automatically, either at specific times or when sensors indicate that people have left. If you’re worried about wasting time turning everything on again, you can even set the timer to do this automatically before the workday starts. This reduces your utility usage without remotely affecting your workday.

Another way to reduce your utility waste is to make sure the building itself is in good condition. For example, a damaged roof is a poor insulator, meaning you have to use more energy to heat the building. Instead, look into commercial roof repair to get the damage fixed right away. This also means that the damage is less likely to cause other problems like leaks or further damage to the roof.

Switching to Sustainable Energy

Switching your utility provider is a good way to save money on your energy bills, but you can go even further and consider providing your own clean energy. If you own the commercial property, you can use solar panels and batteries to power your facilities and premises.

This will make your company more self-reliant, so you end up saving a lot of money on energy bills without having to cut down on how much you use. Even better, solar power is a clean, renewable source of energy, so you aren’t causing more pollution or damage to the environment.

Depending on the commercial property you have, you can either have panels on the roof or sides of the property, or you can even invest in a solar farm.

Waste Management

Every single company generates some kind of waste, especially if you’re manufacturing a product. Even offices still have paper waste in many cases, although going paperless can enormously reduce the amount of waste produced.

Waste management can be an incredible way to be more sustainable as a business.

First, try to generate less waste. Going paperless is a good start, but you can also make sure you use materials more efficiently. As well as being more environmentally friendly, this can also save you money on resources, as you need to buy less in the first place.

Try to reuse waste where possible and, if this isn’t possible, make sure to sort it properly. A lot of waste can be recycled, so send it to the appropriate waste management company. Even non-traditionally recyclable waste can sometimes be used for compost or as materials in other products if it's managed properly.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Some businesses require a supply chain to keep them running. You might buy materials from a vendor, then transport those materials to a warehouse or factory, then once they’ve been processed into products, they will need to be transported again to other warehouses, retail stores, or directly to customers.

If possible, reduce these transportation costs and times by reducing the distances these products and materials need to travel. Use local vendors where possible and simplify the supply chain.