5 Tips to Create a More Eco-Friendly Company Culture
There are many advantages to running an eco-friendly business. Creating an eco-friendly office culture benefits the environment, lowers expenses, gives employees a greater sense of purpose and improves your brand’s reputation. Here are five suggestions for making your company’s culture more environmentally friendly.
1. Educate about eco-friendliness
Many people don’t know how to be eco-friendly, so you should start by educating your employees about it and the green office practices you want to implement. Everyone needs to be aware of your green workplace initiatives: from management to frontline employees.
Keep your educational efforts light so that employees don’t feel lectured. Make them more engaging and enjoyable by showing an environmental documentary, brainstorming creative ways to tackle environmental concerns or doing an environmental quiz.
2. Implement eco-friendly practices
To encourage them to start implementing eco-friendly practices around the workplace, you can give each employee an Eco Box Pack containing practical and reusable items. This will kickstart your earth-friendly practices.
You can also go fully digital or at least reduce their reliance on paper and ink, put printers and monitors on sleep mode when not used, use sustainable materials, adjust the thermostat for optimal cooling and heating, etc. Provide incentives for those who walk or cycle to work. There are plenty of options to contribute to the preservation of the planet.
3. Have a recycling program
If you don’t already have them, it’s high time to make recycling bins available in common areas. Make sure you have enough bins for the size of your company and label them so that your employees know where to put different materials. Place recycling reminders near the bins that include a list of recyclable items.
Even if you’ve been recycling for a while, it’s a good idea to send a reminder email once in a while to keep your recycling guidelines and policies fresh in your employees’ minds. All your staff must be informed about and on board with the recycling program. Make employees aware that they’re driving the initiative rather than making them feel obligated to participate.
4. Promote reusable, recyclable or made-from-recycled materials office supplies
Set a good example by using reusable, recyclable or recycled office supplies. For example, if you must use paper, use a recycled kind. Use refillable or biodegradable pens. Reduce waste with reusable dishware and cutlery in the office kitchen.
5. Gamify eco-friendliness
Organise daily or weekly green challenges in which your employees can compete with their peers to be the most environmentally friendly in order to earn rewards (bonuses, days off, etc.).
To conclude
Green business practices are becoming a norm, and being eco-friendly pays off in the long run by improving your reputation among customers and opening up new market opportunities. To create an eco-friendly company culture, everyone in the workplace must be informed about your green practices and their benefits. Every company can find some simple ways to make a positive environmental impact.
