When talking about Sustainability in Business, two questions come to mind:
1 – How can businesses generate profit, while simultaneously adopting practices to reduce negative environmental and social impact, while contributing to the financial growth of the company itself?
2 – As a business, why should I care?
To answer this, first, let’s take a look at what “sustainability” in a business environment is:
The term “sustainability” in the corporate environment can be defined as the balance between environmental, social and economical factors:
When these 3 factors are balanced, in addition to generating resources, a business also promotes social well-being while adopting policies to preserve the environment. Hence, implementing sustainability in business significantly contributes to the development of healthier environments and reinforces a positive image of the company, which ultimately, contributes to its growth.
This answers our second question: “Why should I care?”. However our first question: “How?” is better answered by practical actions that can be adopted on a day-to-day basis, not only by the employer but by every employee in any business.
Simple practices can be extremely efficient. Here are 5 of them:
The first step is to identify and map out which areas can support changes and offer solutions: For example:
In addition to being simple, such measures contribute significantly to reducing costs in the company.
A loss prevention plan consists of identifying the business’s routine wastage – or losses – and devising solutions for such problems. In this sense, we can classify as “loss” not only physical elements, such as financial resources but also elements such as hours worked – which impact directly on the emotional being of its employees and their productivity.
For example, we can consider a loss of hours worked, when employees have to re-do their work due to operational, or technological faults. A prevention plan can be developed consisting of, but not limited to, more efficient management systems, softwares, and proper training.
Encouraging conscious consumption within the company is as effective as it is simple as instructing employees in the better use of materials, such as disposable cups, papers used for printing, stationery, and electricity consumption, among others.
To achieve this, a business can utilize communication materials, such as posters with practical tips; distribute educational materials electronically, such as newsletters and blog posts. Another measure that causes bug impact is to promote the use of alternative means of transportation, such as bicycles or carpooling. Depending on the scale of the company, number of employees, and ease of access to its offices, it is a good idea to consider offering employees the option to be transported by the company’s own bus/transportation.
Supporting sustainable causes, such as the development of innovative solutions, NGOs and social movements are excellent ways to set a positive example for your employees. Thus, the company itself develops a sustainable culture, which will bring long-term benefits.
Create a corporate policy with good practices for conscious consumption. It is possible to apply the concept within the company in an effective and natural way. For example, this may include norms and legislations related to the consumption and waste of resources; measures to dispose of material and procedures to avoid waste.
The sustainability of the business contributes not only to the preservation of the environment but also to the quality of life of the organization’s employees, employees and even customers. In addition, it contributes to increasing the company’s profitability, as it significantly reduces the waste of resources and contributes to cost reduction.
Therefore, it is essential for any organization, regardless of size or structure, to set up an action plan to implement the concept of sustainability ingrained within its corporate culture. The results will speak for themselves.
