All businesses should focus on improving sustainability, but becoming a more sustainable company starts from within. You cannot simply say you are sustainable. You have to prove it. Adjusting the company culture is the best place to begin to achieve this, so here are 5 fantastic ideas to help you cultivate a sustainable culture in the workplace.
By Team Savant
Image: Elifin Realty
Outline Your Goals
You should begin your sustainability journey by outlining your goals to your employees and your customers. These goals should come with your mission statement and demonstrate what makes you stand out from other businesses. Furthermore, you can disclose your sustainability practices for others to reference, giving them ideas about how to be more eco-friendly as well as proving that you don’t just preach, you practice as well.
Normalise Sustainability at the Office
Businesses can also normalise sustainability within the office. This can include everything from using preowned furniture to buying repurposed fabrics for decor or even company uniforms. Other ideas include renewable energy sources, reminders about the company’s dedication to sustainability, or knowing the best way to deal with food waste rather than merely throwing it in the trash. The more you normalize sustainability, the easier it will be for your team to remember your key lessons and develop sustainable habits.
Educate Your Team
Many people are not as clued in about sustainability as you might be. They may switch the lights off when leaving a room or turn the faucet off when brushing their teeth, but there are many other issues they might not know. You can take time to explain the company’s dedication to sustainability during the onboarding process or provide courses or materials that go into further detail. The more your employees know about eco-friendly practices, the easier it will be for them to share their knowledge to educate others, whether new clients, employees, or others within your industry.
Incentivise Sustainable Activities
While people shouldn’t need a reason to pay closer attention to the environment, there’s the chance some are too set in their ways, so you should give them a reason to embrace sustainability. Incentives can include rewards for adopting eco-friendly habits, such as riding a bike to work rather than driving. Of course, this isn’t straightforward for everyone depending on where they live (and the weather), so purchasing bus passes for your employees is a useful alternative solution.
Address Concerns
No matter how much you try to improve sustainability, there is always more to learn. You can address concerns to overcome these hurdles by hiring a sustainability consultant to oversee your business operations and offer advice. It’s possible that some of your eco-friendly knowledge is outdated or you did not do your due diligence on specific vendors. Once you learn what you can still improve, focus on making these changes as quickly as possible to demonstrate your dedication towards sustainability.
Culture
Adjusting your company culture and embracing sustainability doesn't just improve your brand’s reputation. It can also demonstrate how much you care about the environment and even encourage other businesses and your customers to focus on doing everything possible to emphasise an eco-friendly mindset.