Energy Management systems
How to Become A More Sustainably Focused Business
One of the better definitions of sustainability in business that we have seen states “sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”. This comes in a variety of actions from switching to renewable energy to simply reducing waste and more. Today we are taking a look at just some of the ways businesses can contribute to a more sustainable future and planet.
Reducing Waste
There are several ways you can reduce waste across a business as you need to think about wasted energy, increasing recycling and also lowering the consumption of materials.
Focusing first on reducing wasted energy, this could be as simple as ensuring colleagues turn lights off in rooms that aren’t being used or ensuring windows/doors aren’t open whilst the heating is on as they both lead to unnecessary consumption. It could also be taken to the next level where you install a system such as an EMS (energy management system) which uses technology to lower your energy consumption whilst also providing you data that allows you to analyse and pinpoint more areas where you are spending more than you need.
Secondly, there has been a big push on recycling and lowering the number of materials we use daily. Workplaces have introduced recycling bins for colleagues and we have seen many try to change the approach when it comes to printing materials, thinking is it really necessary to do so. For example, making meeting notes available digitally or thinking about the number of marketing materials that need to be printed so that you aren’t left with old and outdated brochures.
It could also be worth looking into an energy audit which will further highlight areas energy is either wasted or could be saved. With energy costs only really going to increase over the coming years, any business will want to use as little as they possibly can.
Look Into Your Supply Chain
We know that choosing suppliers is a balancing act where you need to keep in mind your margins, quality and punctuality of delivering. However, if you have the luxury to do so, it can pay to be more selective in your choice by looking into how sustainable the brands are or at least try to encourage them to use packaging that isn’t damaging to the planet.
With tenders and projects often coming with environmental impact sections to abide by, we could start to see more businesses head in the direction of being more sustainably focused anyway, so it could be wise to get a head start on your competition.
Switch to Renewables Where You Can
Whether this relates to investing in your own renewable energy technology such as solar panels or sourcing your energy from a supplier that only generates power from renewables, both are a positive step forward. The technology is progressing and becoming more affordable in certain applications so if you wrote it off due to costings in the past, it might be worth a revisit.
Get Accredited
ISO14001 is the framework and international standard set out for companies to follow that measures and improves their environmental impact, if adhered to they can then be certified so that consumers know it is being followed. There are a lot of details involved in ISO14001 but you can find some of the basics here.
To learn more about what an energy management system could do for your business, get in touch with our team of experts today on 0161 5076862.