Businesses always look for new points of difference to remain relevant and grow.
Discerning consumers are making buying decisions based on their green-friendly beliefs, and businesses that respond by committing to carbon neutrality and sustainability in everything they do will gain more market share.
This article will consider how a business premise works towards carbon neutrality. However, as there are many benefits to investing in eco-friendly business practices, starting with the premises, let’s start here.
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Business Premises
What are the benefits of ensuring your business premises communicate the right eco-friendly message to customers?
1. Grow sales and market share
Consumers drive the bottom line, and if gaining more customers means being more environmentally aware, why wouldn’t you engage in it? Attracting eco-conscious customers starts with your physical premises. The key is to look at your business premises and determine whether you are doing all you can to be friendlier to the environment. If not, it’s time for change.
The choices businesses make today when fitting out their showrooms, shops, and customer spaces can make or break a sale. Right down to the sustainable flooring, get it right and shout it from the rooftops in marketing and communications, and the point of difference is yours.
2. Legislation and compliance
Businesses promote eco-friendly and sustainability policies for many reasons, but one of the biggest is the law.
Adhering to environmental regulations, for example, is not optional. Failure to create policies and use auditors to manage compliance may result in bad publicity, a damaged reputation, and fines for a business.
If you interact with suppliers and customers in a way that is friendly to the environment, your business will help the government meet its renewable energy targets. There are also financial benefits, such as using solar power based on government schemes that support eco-friendly companies.
3. Reputation and brand
The palm oil crisis is worth understanding as it proved that customers rule, not businesses.
Consumers are refusing to use products that contribute to environmental destruction and deforestation, leading to mass animal extinction.
Companies must find alternative sources for their products if they want to keep their customers. Without that, there is no profit or bottom line.
We live in an age of climate change, and if businesses don’t become more eco-friendly, they will not keep up with customers’ expectations.
4. Staff happiness
Working in eco-friendly workplaces with better air quality, natural light, and greenery (plants and trees) positively impacts our mental health.
Booking.com’s European headquarters added thousands of plants and improved the lighting, which pleased the staff and increased productivity. This is only one of many businesses that have switched to improving their premises to improve customer experiences and staff contentment.
5. Investment
If your business decides the right time to purchase new premises, do so with the requirement that they are either already eco-friendly or can be remodeled to be environmentally friendly.
The lower operating costs are part of the attraction of eco-friendly buildings and dwellings. For example, how energy is sourced and used for lighting, heating, and the Internet. Plus, eco-friendly waste management practices are another cost that can be reduced with a sustainable solution that adds value to the building and makes it attractive for future leasing or sale.
Going For Carbon-Neutral
Here are five key steps to get your business on the right path to carbon neutrality.
What is your carbon footprint?
To find out your carbon footprint, you will need to set up a project to record and assess it.
Start by recording and assessing all sources of greenhouse gas emissions in your premises, including water, waste, energy use, and transportation.
Next, you’ll need to learn how to reduce the total amount of greenhouse gases, i.e., how you can change how you use water, energy, and transport.
How to develop a greenhouse gas reduction plan
Every plan starts with goals. Use the SMART goal-setting methodology to determine your goals. You’ll need to know how aiming for a goal impacts your business. For example, do you need to invest in new heating and lighting systems?
There may be a case for adding solar panels to the roof. Be thorough in your goal assessment so you can achieve it. For example, a goal to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 percent may be too ambitious; however, 15 percent might be just right.
While the reduction percentage might not be that high, your business could invest in carbon credits to compensate for the remaining use. This is a good message for customers – it shows your company is serious about its goal to act now on being more environmentally friendly and working towards carbon neutral premises.
Final Thoughts
Green-based businesses are winning over customers. There will come a time when being green is how it is for all businesses. Until then, there is an opportunity to reap the benefits of investing in eco-friendly practices, starting with your work environment.
