Touting how green their operations are becoming is the norm for companies seeking the praise – and business – of today’s consumer.  But beyond declaring social catch-phrases and kowtowing to topics of popularity there are real advantages to making environmentally-friendly changes to the workplace, and operations of an organization.  Making greener choices must start at the top, and be implemented as company policy, not just via occasional actions.

Even within companies where general staff consensus or support of making greener choices exists, those making the decisions are the ones who need to implement the changes.  When these changes become part of the company’s daily behavior and company policies, then there are no alternatives available; these environmentally-friendly – and many times economically-sensible – actions must be carried out by employees.

Great places to start when considering ways to make the workplace greener are areas that consume a large portion of a company’s operating expenses;  lighting, running equipment, heating/cooling, and transportation are all expensive monthly costs for an organization, and making changes here don’t require massively overhauling policies or extensively re-training staff.  The first thing to do is to assess what’s being spent under normal operating conditions, and then decide on which areas to focus.

Once companies have examined what is being spent on basic day-to-day operations, it’s time to implement initial changes.  Find out if there are ways to reduce using lights in unnecessary, unused areas, for example.  Power-down the computers when they’re not in use for long periods of time.  Strategize how to reduce the number of gas-guzzling vehicles out on the road, if possible.  If it’s time to purchase new company vehicles, consider ones that have better gas mileage. These types of modifications are usually made my management or superiors, reinforcing the fact that these efforts must start at the top of the company first.

Reducing paper usage is another easy way to make the office more environmentally-friendly.  Offering clients the option of having invoices or statements emailed to them rather than printed and physically mailed can make huge differences in the amount of paper a company uses in a given period of time.  Most Americans are getting used to seeing this option appear at some point during their interactions with businesses; they are not likely to resist a change of this nature. 

Greener options for many types of equipment exist in the marketplace today.  Many cities and counties offer rebate incentives for homes and businesses which install energy-efficient appliances and devices.  Once a company is further into the greening process, it should use the initial analyses of operating costs and compare them to the expenses once these environmentally-friendly modifications have been made.  Many are likely to find real incentives for continuing these energy-use-reducing behaviors; the bottom line will clearly indicate the benefits.

There are many reasons to make an operation as green as possible, eventually. While it’s not always easy, or free to make these types of changes in a workplace, reduced costs and more streamlined efficiency will eventually ensue.  It’s critical that companies make these changes for reasons other than self-promotion; having a few hybrid vehicles in the company fleet doesn’t mean it’s green!  But making a real effort, from management down to hourly employees, can mean real savings for a company, and the planet.

Author: Pete Marino

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