1. Start by educating yourself and your employees.
Having an eco-friendly business starts by truly understanding what products and practices are harmful to the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website is a great place to start. It has a lot of information that could intersect with your business operations, including decreasing waste, clean energy options, choosing green products and limiting the environmental impact from vehicle use.
It can be overwhelming to look at all these different green initiatives at once. I suggest addressing one aspect of environmental impact at the beginning, such as ways to reduce waste, and then gradually increasing your knowledge and application of other practices to your business.
2. Make it part of your company culture.
Developing a green persona as a brand requires more than lip service to green practices. Your commitment to improving the environment needs to be part of your company culture. You need to be intentional about communicating your environmental values throughout your organization, all the way from the hiring process to daily routines to your brand messaging.
Like any aspect of company culture, there needs to be total buy-in to your environmental policies from the top management for it to be successful. Employees also need to have specific guidance on expectations. “Avoid unnecessary waste” is too broad and open to interpretation. Keep green initiatives top of mind by setting measurable goals. For instance, setting a goal to reduce copy paper use by 10% in a quarter could make your employees think twice before making paper copies.
3. Partner with eco-friendly vendors.
If you want your business to be known for its environmental consciousness, your choice of vendors and other business connections needs to reflect that priority. Take the time to research the ecological practices of your business partners and the products sold by your suppliers. Buy recycled paper products. Avoid Styrofoam or plastic containers and packing materials. Buy fuel-efficient vehicles. Send used electronics to local recycling centers.
4. Let your ‘green’ show.
You have put practices into place and developed an earth-friendly culture. Now it’s time to make sure your branding and marketing reflect your priority of a clean environment. You can do this in small, subtle ways or by making a big splash on the green scene. Include earth-friendly messaging in your business establishment and on your website or other marketing materials. Sponsor or host events that promote environmental protection, such as recycling drives or donations of used items to charity. Show public support for green initiatives proposed by local, state and federal governments. Make sure your ecological stance is well-known.
Several rewards come from developing an eco-friendly brand. It can draw in customers who want to support green-focused businesses. It can help you stand out in a crowd of competitors that have not embraced the green wave. Most importantly, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your business is making a positive impact on our planet.
Article Credit: forbes