If there is one thing that most business owners want to achieve, it’s sustainability. We are watching the gas prices rise, we are watching wars happening, we are watching pandemics spreading across the outside at a more rapid rate than ever before. Our impact on the planet that we are living on is not a positive one. We have one Earth Day per year, and this is the day that reminds us that we need to do more in our businesses to adopt environmentally friendly policies and practices. You want your business to be seen as green, because it’s not just about impressing customers and clients, it’s going to be better for the world around you.

There are so many ways that you can make your office a more sustainable place to be, from using products that are made with chemical manufacturing, to using any of the tips that we have got for you below. Sustainability is achievable for any business of any kind, you just have to make the effort to find ways to do it. For example, using sustainability software and services provided by companies such as Greenstone can help you to advance your sustainability strategies and become a responsible business. Make your office sustainable with the tips that we have for you below – let us know how they work for you.

  1. Create a sustainability team. A team of people in your office who are dedicated to sustainability are going to be able to raise awareness among your team and they will accomplish more. Sustainability in your office has to be a team effort. They can work on business sustainability with ideas from enabling more successful recycling programs and starting a cycling club, to starting carpooling for the office to reduce the cars on the road. All of these things can help when there is a team involved because two heads are always better than one and five heads are better than two.
  2. Consider monthly challenges. Sustainability isn’t always the most fun topic, but it can be the most fun event you have in your office! If you can combine competition and sustainability, you can make it fun for your team. Challenges can be anything from walking to work challenges to ‘not using plastics’ challenges. Either way you can reward your team with things like a rainforest in a bottle or potted plants!
  3. Don’t be that business with their lights on all night. When you go into any central business district, you will find office blocks with lights that shine all night long. This is the least way for your business to be sustainable one, and so instating a strict ‘everything off at night’ rule, you’ll be able to save money on your energy bills and stop wasting energy that’s left on for no reason. Some people say that it’s to do with security, but there are other methods of security that don’t require you to use that much energy.
  4. Look at the products that you are using. We talked about chemical manufacturing and products created with this method as it is more sustainable. However, while there may not be room in your budget to buy products that are exclusively sustainable, you can still focus on areas that have the biggest impact. Efficient electronics, and appliances for example, can help you with your sustainability goals and keep your business greener. You don’t want to be a part of the 124 metric tons of hazardous waste that electronics can cause per year.
  5. Embrace the renewable options. In your business, you can start using green power sources that include things like wind energy and solar energy. These are more accessible now than they ever have been, and you can install solar installations on your roof. You can even – if you have the space – consider a larger scale wind farm to power your business. It doesn’t matter what size organization you have, this kind of renewable sustainability is available to you. Check with your current electricity suppliers, too, because they can help to supply you with a green energy plan. These are usually priced competitively, and they are also there to help you to use less.
  6. Consider the way that you use the thermostat. Now, you’re going to have people that have different needs in your office, that means some will feel warmer where others feel colder and that can become a difficult thing to manage. Workplaces are often over air-conditioned through the summer months, but you can think about increasing your thermostat only when you need it. This can allow for your workspace to be much more comfortable while also reducing the energy that you use. If you keep your A/C set to kick on at 75°, you can save money each year. It doesn’t have to be a dramatic change, it just has to be one that works for the environment. You should also encourage people to have battery-powered desk fans, or scarves and warmer clothing in the desk drawer according to needs.
  7. Have you gone digital yet? One of the best ways to be sustainable in your office is by choosing to go paperless. The greenest paper is no paper, and that’s why you need to go digital. It’s so much easier to keep up with digital files on your computers and devices than store paper and all the filing cabinets. You have to get in the habit of reviewing the digital documents on screen, too. This is a much better option than the cost of printing, toner, electricity and paper. Most businesses now have decided to be paperless and move to digital options, and it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.45 million metric tons. Did you know that this is the equivalent of seconds over 250,000 cars off the road for a whole year?
  8. Incorporate a little greenery. Sustainability is important in your office, and if you can encourage everybody to bring in a desk plant, you’ll be able to improve indoor air quality in an instant. Thoughts produce more oxygen which means any chemicals released into the air by your office furniture all your equipment can be offset.