Is Your Business Really Green? 5 Ways To Tell

Many companies in London would like to be green and certainly do their best to achieve this, especially as being seen to be environmentally-friendly by others can increase business. Also, it is said that employees who work in such an environment are much happier, leading to greater productivity. So, the important question is - how green is your company? Here are 5 tips on how to ensure that your business can genuinely be described as a green one in order to boost your profile.

1. Reduce Waste, Reuse and Recycle

Most workplaces in London generate a lot of waste, especially paper. A simple way to become greener is to do as much as possible electronically. Also, it is better to print on both sides of the paper when a hard copy is essential. An ample amount of recycling bins should be strategically placed, not just for paper, but plastic and metal too.

2. Only Print When Absolutely Necessary

Do you think before you print? Do you really need to print? It goes without saying that sometimes it is essential to reproduce documents and letters, but now that we can view, read and store information online, we are able to not only save electricity, but paper and ink too. Pages that have only been printed on one side - encourage employees to use the blank side for notes and telephone messages.

3. Change Light Bulbs

It is essential to provide good lighting in any workplace as anything inadequate will reduce productivity and can damage employees eyesight. Be sure to install energy saving light bulbs as, not only will they save you money as they last longer than traditional ones, they are also much better for the environment. The two main types of energy efficient lighting are LEDs, (Light Emitting Diodes) and CFLs, (Compact Fluorescent Lamps).

4. Think About Electricity

If you are not using it, then turn it off. This applies to all equipment that doesn’t need to boot up through working hours. Ensure that all electrical items such as lighting, computers and photocopiers are switched off at the end of the day - do not leave anything on standby.

5. Green cleaning contractor or cleaning products

One thing that companies often forget when trying to be more environmentally-friendly is cleaning. Are your cleaning contractors green? Just because you outsource your cleaning it doesn't mean that aspect can avoid being green, especially if you truly want people to see your organisation as that. You want to check that your cleaning contractors are certified as environmentally-friendly, and the products they use are not made of harsh chemicals that harm the planet. If they aren't certified, then it might be time to switch!