More and more companies, from the largest to the smallest, are concerned with “going green.” Some of this is in response to worker and consumer pressure and the desirability of marketing to environmentally concerned customers and attracting educated innovative workers who tend to be concerned about the environment. In some countries, carbon pricing affects the bottom line and there are increasingly strict regulations concerning everything from emissions to use of potentially toxic chemicals. Perhaps the two most important reasons for going green, though, are saving money and corporate social responsibility.

Paper Products

Management gurus have been predicting the advent of the paperless office since the introduction of computers in the 1960s. Most companies still use massive amounts of paper. Two simple steps you can take to reduce your environmental footprint are recycling and using paper products manufactured with post-consumer waste. Make it easy for employees to recycle by placing dedicated paper recycling bins near every work space. The Environmental Paper Network has a paper calculator that shows you the environmental impacts of different paper choices.

Lighting

Lighting is one of the easiest ways for a company to save energy. Replacing older fixtures with LED lighting helps the environment in two ways. First, it saves energy and second, LED bulbs need to be replaced less frequently than many other types and thus contribute less to the waste stream. Rather than relying on individual employees to turn off lights, install motion sensors to ensure that you are not wasting money and energy lighting empty rooms.

Energy Sources

Using renewable energy sources is an important element of going green. Installing solar panels on a roof or buying energy from renewable sources are two important ways to ensure a high percentage of renewable energy and potential cost savings. Some large organizations invest in wind turbines to generate their own energy and save money.

Solar Parking Lots

In areas with substantial amounts of sunshine, solar canopies in parking lots are an innovation that provides substantial amounts of green energy while keeping employees’ cars cool in hot summer months. Solar parking lots also make a strong and stylish visual statement concerning your commitment to renewable energy.

Green Chemicals

Many companies are moving to using green chemicals in many processes from cleaning rest rooms to advanced manufacturing. To maximize the environmental benefits in chemical use, study your complete chemical supply inventory to see whether components can be replaced with greener equivalents. Managing your inventory closely, perhaps using just-in-time supply chains, can reduce wastage, helping the environment and your bottom line. You can also visit a company like Seidler Chemical for help in this regard.

The Environmental Bottom Line

Greening your business benefits all possible stakeholders. Employees, especially those with chemical sensitivities and other medical conditions, benefit from a greener work setting. Society as a whole benefits from preserving our environmental. The company and shareholders profit from attracting environmentally concerned customers and employees and saving many by conserving energy.