If you’re concerned about the impact of your business on the environment, then reducing waste is a great place to start. A big part of this is organising your waste management strategy effectively so that you can reduce not only the amount of rubbish generated by your operations or at source from your suppliers, but also save money in the process.
Review your waste management strategy
Before you can reduce your business-waste, you need to know exactly what it is.
Review your current waste management strategy. What waste do you produce and how much of it? How much is recycled and how much is sent to landfill? How much is wasted through employee or customer error? And what are the costs associated with each type of waste?
Determine what materials are most commonly wasted. Are certain materials more likely to be thrown away than others, either because they’re difficult to handle or because there’s a lack of knowledge about how best to manage them in an environmentally friendly way
A simple waste audit can build an understanding of your amounts, waste types and frequency of collection
Your waste carrier may be able to provide you a breakdown of this information
Set up a recycling system
Setting up a recycling system for your business can help you reduce waste and save money. First, determine what types of waste are recyclable at your company. Almost all companies recycle paper, cardboard and plastic bottles, but other items may require special bins or equipment to process them in a way that’s environmentally friendly. If you have a garden on site, collect grass clippings and use them as mulch; if there’s an abundance of wood scraps or branches from trees removed during landscaping projects, consider donating them to local charities or fire departments that can use them as fuel source.
Finally, label the recycling bins clearly so employees know the correct place for each type of material and train them on how to recycle properly (e.g., don’t put food scraps into the compost bin). Here at Sustainable Business Services we can provide branded recycling stations made incorporating sustainable, recycled materials that can be recycled or replaced. Our stations can help your business to increase consumer and staff engagement, talk to us today for more information.
Invest in reusable packaging
While reusable packaging may seem more expensive than disposable, it can actually save you money in the long run. While it may initially cost more to purchase reusable packaging, the cost is often offset by reduced product waste and reduced transportation costs. Plus, if the item is used multiple times (such as a water bottle), there’s no need to buy another one! Talk to us about our partnership with Honest Bottle the only reusable bottle, designed & made locally from recycled single use bottles.
Reusable packaging also reduces carbon emissions due to less transportation of new products. In addition, using reusable containers reduces water use since they don’t have to be washed after each use like disposable containers do.
Re-use office equipment, paper and stationery.
Re-use office equipment, paper and stationery
The cost of disposing of computer equipment is expensive so try to find a useful second life for your old hardware. We partner with rebuyer.co.uk to provide secure end of life re-use solutions for your IT equipment.
All of our IT equipment is refurbished Did you know 77% of your smartphones’ carbon footprint is from embodied emissions (manufacture and transport) so if you keep your phone twice as long you almost halve the total annual footprint?
Reduce your waste stream by using what you have first. For example, if you have enough pens left over from last year’s Christmas gifts then use those rather than ordering new ones for every staff member this year – it will help reduce waste but won’t cost any more money!
Use digital communication to reduce paper use
Email is the most common form of digital communication, but it can also be the biggest source of paper waste. Whether you’re sending an email to a colleague or customer, consider writing in a way that doesn’t require a response—and therefore doesn’t require an additional context-setting email from them. If you do need to respond with information such as instructions or links to documents that aren’t available online, include them in the body of your original message instead of attaching files. This saves paper, reduces clutter on people’s inboxes (which means they won’t archive your emails) and ensures that everyone has access to all related information without having to wade through attachments. The long email sent from a laptop has one-twentieth the footprint of a letter.
Online meeting tools: These days there are many alternatives to traditional conference calls or video chats that allow participants from around the world without having everyone take time off work at once. Tools like Zoom and Teams allow you and your team members anywhere in the world with internet access to join online meetings using their own devices—no need for expensive teleconference equipment!
Implement a waste reduction program
● Consider the size of your business. If you have a small company, like a restaurant or coffee shop, chances are you don’t produce much waste to begin with. But even if you’re not shipping pallets of product to another region, it’s still valuable to reduce what little waste you do produce for environmental reasons and cost savings alike. You also can easily implement some of these suggestions in this section on a smaller scale at home.
● Determine which program is right for your business. The most important thing to consider when developing a waste reduction program is how willing everyone will be to participate. Keep in mind that it doesn’t need to be expensive or time consuming; any good idea will work as long as people commit themselves to participating regularly and reporting back positively on their progress, use focus days, weeks or teams to engage the wider team.
What are the benefits of cutting down on waste
Cutting down on waste can have a number of benefits for your business, including:
● Lower costs. While you might not be able to quantify the exact amount of money you’re saving by reducing waste, it’s safe to say that it will be substantial. The less money you spend on things like disposal fees and the cost of materials, the more money will be available for other projects or investments in your company.
● Reduced environmental impact. An environmentally conscious business is one that cares about reducing its carbon footprint and making sure its actions don’t harm the environment in any way. Reusing materials instead of throwing them away is one simple way to make a big difference—a small change can lead to big results over time!
● Improved reputation among customers who care about sustainability issues; this may also lead directly (or indirectly) to increased sales because consumers are looking for businesses with these kinds of policies in place when deciding where they’ll spend their money.”
It is key to engage with your internal; stakeholders on why you want to reduce your waste, the benefits to them, your business and our planet. These skills can be taken home to create a collective lasting impact.
READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?
Speak to an expert to find out about how we can help you improve excel your business's progress to becoming net zero.
