With instant access to news online and social media sharing, companies are now more conscious of their public image than ever. They are also more likely to be held accountable for their social and environmental shortcomings. This has led to many businesses making an effort to appear sustainable and a force for good in the community.
Many companies are making changes in order to cut down on their environmental impact. It is taking long enough for businesses to realise that by cutting their carbon footprint they could 
potentially save money and improve their company image at the same time.
Why companies have been hesitant
Initial costs may put businesses off. This may include installing new lighting or investing in a new waste management system. Though the long term benefits might be cheaper, the start-up costs might not be practical for small businesses.
Small business likely feel that they are not going to make a difference in a world where China and the US are burning through fossil fuels faster than ever. Poor education on the subject means that smaller businesses might not even know the impact they have on the environment, let alone how to deal with it.
Benefits of going green
Tax
Small businesses can get reliefs or exemptions from environmental taxes if they don’t use much energy or make an effort to buy energy efficient tech.
Employees’ health
Studies have looked into the impact of poor air quality in the workplace and found that performance could be lowered as much as 10% as a result. In offices that are well ventilated, short term sick leave was found to be 35% lower than usual.
Poor lighting can lead to headaches, eye strain, poor concentration and low mood, eventually leading to absences.
Save money
You may be able to save some money in the long run by making your business more energy efficient. With less pressure to use lighting or heating you can save in energy bills. For some businesses it might be worth the initial investment to make your office green.
BT
BT is currently one of the most energy efficient companies in the UK. They have been investing heavily in wind farms, though this is generally not something small businesses can replicate. They have also been using flexible working and video conferencing as a way to cut costs and emissions. These are more manageable first steps that smaller business can take.
How to go green
You might not be able to install any wind farms for your small business but there are still things you can do to make your work pace more environmentally friendly. It’s the little stuff that all adds up in the end. Here are some things to think about:
Tackling waste
- Cut down on paper use
- Use remanufactured ink cartridges
- Store documents digitally instead of printing everything out
- Avoid posting, email or share online instead where possible
- Have recycling bins
- Buy tea and coffee in bulk, it’s cheaper and uses less packaging
- Avoid coffee pods, these are causing a growing problem as they can’t be recycled and there’s usually a lot of them
Lighting
- Use energy efficient lighting
- Daylight is best for employee health, so try to maximise this natural asset
Appliances
- Replace outdated appliances with greener versions
Travel
- Encourage a cycle to work scheme
- Start a car sharing scheme
- When meeting clients or travelling for business try to use public transport where possible
Office running costs
- Where possible, think about introducing flexible working where employees can work from home instead of coming into the office. This may help to cut down costs and emissions associated with running your business and transport.
- Use a virtual office instead of hiring out large office space
- Use freelancers instead of full time employees, they’ll often work from home