Why should your business aim for sustainability?
More than ever, businesses need to understand their impact on the environment. Many large corporations are failing to meet their targets for tackling climate change. Adopting sustainable waste management practices will not only have a positive impact on the environment but also benefit your business in the long run.
This change can encourage others to follow. Your suppliers may adopt a sustainable attitude after seeing how it helps. Your competitors may even rethink their approach after seeing you become a leader in sustainability in your sector.
Sustainable waste management can be difficult to approach without a thorough knowledge of what to do. If you’re stuck on how to become a more sustainable business. Here’s how.
1. Become a paperless business
UK businesses use 12.5 million tonnes of paper every year. This is why businesses are switching to a paperless approach. By including more technology in your workplace, you can use less paper. Many essential office tasks can be done differently.
- Switch to an automatic payroll system: Remove the need to print every payslip and safely store personal documents.
- E-signatures: Don’t print tens of sheets of paper for every contract, invoice and agreement. Let people read and sign any important documents online.
- Opt out of junk mail: Let’s be honest – most junk mail ends up in the bin. Reducing what comes through your letterbox will decrease your company’s paper waste.
- Electronic payment: Using digital payment systems for invoicing, can store essential payment info online. This means you won’t have to hoard and store documents for every client.
2. Switch to renewable energy
Transitioning to renewable energy sources can have considerable impact. Although it may take time. There are several sustainable options available so choose the one that best fits your business needs.
- Solar panels are ideal for workplaces with ample roof space and can generate sufficient energy to power businesses of all sizes. By producing solar energy, your business can achieve significant cost savings over time.
- Biofuel is a great option for businesses that generate large amounts of food waste. By converting organic waste (biomass) into fuel, you can capture and burn the methane released to produce energy. Many companies with vehicle fleets use biofuel to power their trucks. This makes it a sustainable choice for transportation as well.
Switching to renewable energy plays a crucial role in decreasing reliance on fossil fuels and the harmful waste it creates.
3. Reduce single-use materials
You probably can’t comprehend the amount of waste created in a factory setting. Companies often use single-waste materials, such as bags and containers, as packaging.
A waste audit can create workplace goals for waste reduction. Knowing where your waste is coming from can help you find alternatives. Try to procure materials from sources that use recycled and recyclable materials.
Sustainable packaging can include:
- Metal barrels.
- Biodegradable bags.
- Cloth sacks.
- Glass containers.
4. Recycle your waste
Recycling is the most obvious way to be more sustainable. It is also one of the most effective. By segregating your waste helps to reduce environmental harm.
Learning to understand your potential waste streams can help identify how they can be repurposed effectively. We can then organise the collection of your waste.
Why not recycle your paper waste securely yet sustainably? As a business, you handle a variety of clients and customers, which likely involves managing sensitive and personal information.
UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), requires companies to protect this personal info in line with set guidelines. Part of this includes the secure destruction of data.
WEEE (Waste electrical and electronic equipment) data should be destroyed through the thorough processing of a storage device. Whilst printed information must be shredded.
No matter how you approach sustainable waste management, make sure you do it right. We can work by your side, developing a waste management plan that works for you. With a free waste audit, we can help you understand your waste and how to deal with it moving forward.
Thinking of implementing sustainable waste management into your business? Get in touch with our team of experts and get started.
