The UK government may be encouraging businesses to become more sustainable, but eight out of ten small business owners in the UK don’t know where to start. While they understand the importance of sustainability and want to make eco-friendly changes in the workplace, they’re restricted by time and lack guidance. To help your local service businesses become more sustainable, we’ve identified simple ways your company can go green.
Go paperless
Service businesses need paper to print job sheets, customer documents, contracts, quotes, and invoices. Because the industry uses lots of paper, going paperless is one of the simplest ways to go green. More paperless solutions have become available for service companies because it’s becoming more common for businesses to ditch the paperwork. Job Sheet Software is one of the solutions companies can use to reduce paperwork. With the cloud-based software, your team can access digital job sheets, complete invoicing on-site, complete forms online, and access documents via mobile devices.
Opt for energy-efficient lighting
You can reduce your business’s carbon emissions and electricity costs with energy-efficient lighting. LED lighting has become more energy efficient and affordable, so switching to LED lights is a simple way to make your business greener. Another simple way to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions is to ask your employees to turn off lights that aren’t being used and check that lights are switched off at the end of the day. You could also install smart lighting to schedule lighting to come on during working hours and set lights to turn on and off when people enter and exit a room.
Recycle
While you can reduce waste by using a paperless system, it’s difficult not to produce any rubbish. When zero waste isn’t possible, your company should introduce recycling. Consider signing up for a waste management service that can recycle your waste on-site to save you from transporting materials to a recycling plant. A waste management company will know how to identify and classify waste and use the best recycling method so you can focus on your on-site projects. You can use recycling bins to collect paper, bottles, cans, and cardboard in the office.
Reduce fuel consumption
Service technicians spend lots of time on the road, travelling between your office and job sites, increasing your company’s fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Reducing fuel consumption can significantly reduce your organisation’s carbon footprint. The most efficient way for service businesses to reduce fuel consumption is to use a route planning tool to choose the most economical routes. Reducing the need for technicians to travel to the office can also reduce fuel consumption. With Job Sheet Software, your technicians can share job sheets and real-time updates online to save them a trip to the office.
Invest in green energy
Switching to green energy is a long-term solution, but it’s a worthwhile investment if your business is serious about sustainability. Environmentally-friendly energy sources have become more accessible in the UK, with electricity suppliers offering green energy plans. These plans are typically affordable, making it more accessible for your business to use renewable energy. You could also install solar panels and produce your own renewable energy to reduce your carbon footprint. The initial cost of investing in solar panels can be expensive but can reduce your electricity bills in the long run.