Having a sustainable business: what’does this imply ?

When we talk about a sustainable company, there are two topics that come up often. There is corporate social responsibility or CSR and the energy savings. They are among the main pillars of today’s and tomorrow’s business.

How to have a sustainable business ? This is the question to which we will try to give a clear and concise answer.

What is a sustainable business? ?

There are many terms that can be used to define what a sustainable business is. We can already start by saying that this is a company that honors its social responsibility or CSR. It is part of the pioneers who decided to make energy savings in order not to pollute the planet.

But above all to preserve the earth’s resources which are in a critical state.

A sustainable company, it is a responsible business. It takes the initiative to measure the environmental impact of its actions. A desire that translates into a change in the production process.

For example, by reducing waste or reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its operations.

A sustainable business is open to dialogue. Its managers are open to all new perspectives that can benefit the company and its environment. Because it is important to note that a business must always depend on its environment.

If it destroys, deteriorates or ignores its calls, it has no reason to be. Hence the importance of using cleaner technologies, promoting local employment and manufacturing green products or services.

Three actions to adopt to have a more sustainable company

All companies, whatever their field of activity, can undertake a responsible approach for a sustainable activity.

Reduce waste production in your company

There are small habits that may seem insignificant, but their impact on a large scale is considerable. For a sustainable business, it is important to start recycling in order to reduce waste in the company as much as possible. In France alone, recycling waste allows a reduction of carbon dioxide of about 1.8 million tons.

This figure can be achieved through simple actions that allow us to better sort our waste. Starting by stopping the use of plastic cups. An employee who takes 2 hot drinks in a day can use up to 500 cups in a year.

Imagine the result with only 5 employees. On a global scale, it is a very polluting act.

Even the use of disposable cutlery is a great source of pollution for the planet. No longer using them is a first step towards a less polluted world. Using as little paper as possible and taking notes on your tablet and computer also reduces the use of paper (although it is recyclable).

By prioritizing water bottles over bottled water, you are making an eco-responsible gesture.

Save energy

Saving energy is one of the main objectives of a sustainable business. A gesture that begins with a good insulation of the company’s premises. Every year, the private sector consumes nearly 55,000 GWh of electricity. That’s 28 million tons of CO2 per year.

With a good insulation, it is possible to reduce the energy bill of each establishment.

Otherwise, there are economic gestures that characterize the employees of a company sustainable company. Turning off the light when leaving the bathroom or a room. These are actions that gradually reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Turning off your computer during break times is also an eco-gesture.

The same goes for the use of the printer, which should only be used when necessary.

By adapting the temperature of the room to the outside temperature, you save energy. Small, but in the long term, it is a gesture that can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by at least 4% in France. Even reducing the brightness of a room is an important factor in saving energy.

The reduction of electricity and gas consumption has an immediate consequence on the bill to pay. It also allows to actively engage in the fight against global warming.

Rethink the consumption in your company

Rethinking consumption in companies can be done in different areas. This can be done by choosing a responsible partner. For example, it is possible to collaborate with a printing company that is certified CO2 neutral for your paper needs. For your events, you can call on service providers who offer organic or sustainable products.

This action is also feasible for the choice of food used in the canteen.

To become a sustainable company, Opt for suppliers of products that are certified ecolabels. Especially for your computer materials. That is to say that these are products that are concerned with the well-being of the planet. They are designed to NF standards and are recyclable.

This is the case of non-toxic inks and low energy and fully recyclable printers.

By investing in a water filtration system, you eliminate the use of plastic bottles. Your employees don’t have to buy a bottle of water regularly. If everyone does this, the number of plastics thrown away at the waste disposal center will decrease considerably.

A study has shown that 89 billion plastic bottles are sold each year throughout the world. A study conducted in 2004 showed that the consumption of plastic bottled water has doubled since the late 90s. Hence the importance of limiting the purchase of plastic containers to a minimum.