As the environment continues to dominate the political, social and economic agenda, there has never been a better time for Welsh businesses to look at ways of improving their green credentials, says Ed Gmitrowicz, Envirowise programme manager for Wales
THE benefits of this are not just financial; increased resource efficiency can save up to £1,000 per employee, as well as enhancing company reputation and driving competitiveness.
Waste minimisation programmes alone can save up to 1% of business turnover, either through extra profit or lowered operating costs, while water and energy savings can reduce effluent and utility bills by as much as 20%.
But only by ensuring the involvement of all employees can a company successfully integrate environmental improvements into its culture. Without such a shift, businesses risk simply ticking boxes on corporate social responsibility rather than implementing meaningful measures that make a real difference to the planet and their bottom-line.
Yet tackling this issue can seem like a daunting task. With so much noise on climate change, combined with pressure from increasing legislation and rising consumer awareness, managers can be forgiven for wondering how to distil such a large subject into a practical programme that can achieve true employee buy-in.
Indeed, many firms avoid taking action because they believe significant investment is needed, but by turning a blind eye to environmental issues they are actually missing out on an excellent money- saving opportunity.
So how can Welsh businesses incorporate environmental thinking into the very bones of their organisation?
Firstly, it is important to emphasise that this need not be as complex or time-consuming as some may anticipate and there are a variety of low-cost or no-cost measures to get the ball rolling.
As a starting point, buy-in from senior management is essential and many companies create a statement of commitment to drive ongoing improvement and sustain momentum.
Others begin the process by nominating an environmental champion to identify opportunities, raise awareness and facilitate action throughout the organisation.
Project teams can further drive momentum for change by encouraging involvement from a range of staff members. Ideally, teams should be cross-functional, allowing employees from different departments to work together and increase their understanding of each others’ needs.
Other measures include team briefings, poster campaigns and newsletters, while integrating environmental issues into the induction process for new employees helps to instil the right environmental mindset from the outset.
Suggestion schemes also provide an effective means of encouraging participation by enabling staff to generate ideas which can be implemented in their particular departments.
Additionally, recognising individual achievements and successes in company newsletters or intranet bulletins maintains enthusiasm and sustains change in the long-term.
Whatever the approach adopted, it is important to ensure that employees understand why environmental improvements are so important.
Again, this does not require a major investment, as simple training days or online workshops can raise awareness of the cost benefits and the competitive advantages that can be achieved.
To help companies embrace such cultural change and develop a programme that meets their needs, Envirowise has launched a new online resource, Words To The Wise.
Designed for companies of all sizes and sectors, the tool provides advice on creating a plan of action to help embed sustainability into corporate thinking and improve environmental performance.
Following the completion of a short questionnaire, the resource provides a bespoke summary of the company’s current environmental position, followed by guidance on the terminology most likely to resonate at every level, from junior management to the boardroom.
In short, there is a very compelling business case for companies to embed sustainable thinking into the very bones of their organisation.
From: icWales
