Earth Day is an annual event from April 14 th to April 22 nd worldwide, to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
In this day and age, sustainability has rapidly become something we’re all more aware of, with many of us making small changes to our lifestyle in order to do our bit. However, if you’re a business owner, you may be wondering what changes you can make to your organisation.

Exactly how can a business be more sustainable?

Believe it or not, environmentally friendly business practices are a lot easier to implement that you might think, such as using technology to reduce the amount of paper that’s processed and help your employees work flexibly.

We have listed 8 different ways how your business can play its part in saving our Earth:

1. SAVE ENERGY – LIGHTING TIPS
   Maximising the natural light in your business premises is a great way to reduce energy, and it can also be better for your health and well-being. For areas where natural light just isn’t possible, motion-sensitive lights are perfect for saving energy.
2. CHANGING TRANSPORT
   If working from home isn’t an option, looking at and changing how you and your employees get to work is still one of the best environmentally friendly business practices.
3. GO PAPERLESS
   A simple but effective way to create a more sustainable business is to go paperless (or reduce the amount of paper that is processed). Going electronic with any documents is also a way to boost security and will make transferring information much easier. Ensure both sides of pieces of paper are used when it comes to note taking and printing
4. REMOVE SINGLE USE PRODUCTS
   Do you have a water dispenser with plastic cups in your office? What about paper towels in the toilets or single serve coffee pods? Doing away with single use products such as these can make a huge difference in your organisation’s bid to go green.
5. REUSE AND RECYCLE
   Separate bins for plastics, glass and paper are good places to start, and there are a number of companies that will recycle things such as ink and toner cartridges.
6. WORK WITH LOCAL SUPPLIERS
   Another step towards a sustainable business is to work with local suppliers when you can. This not only will support your local community but also reduces mileage used when it comes to delivery, which will contribute towards reducing pollution.
7. SWITCH TO ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
   It’s no secret that many cleaning products are packed with chemicals that can be harmful to the environment, but thankfully eco-friendly alternatives are becoming much more popular.
8. GIVE BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
   Sustainability doesn’t just come down to recycling and going paperless – it’s more than that. Consider having a collection box for spare change in communal areas, and once it’s full you can donate it to a charity of your choice. You could even arrange a fundraising event or take part in any charity campaigns you’re passionate about.
   
   
   Let us know if there is something unique that your business has or will be implementing to become a sustainable, eco-friendly organization!
   
   Arina Fyfer
   AF Consulting
   arina@af-consulting.co.za
   082 745 6779