Take steps to reduce your gas and electricity consumption
Last month, I wrote a blog explaining why every small business should have an energy policy. In this post, I will explain how to write an energy policy for your small or medium-sized business.
If you choose to write an energy policy for your business, bear in mind that it doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. In fact, for smaller businesses in particular, it may only amount to one side of paper – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Even if your initial policy involves achieving the smallest of goals and making the simplest of changes, it is a good place to start.
It’s better to start small than to set yourself up for failure by aiming too high. Always make sure that the goals of your business energy policy are realistic and achievable for your company’s means.
You should review your energy policy at least once a year; updating it with new goals and measuring progress. This means that starting with smaller goals can be advantageous, as you’re ensuring that there is room to improve and build on your achievements in the future
A business energy policy should state your business’s commitment to sustainability, and highlight the key areas that you are going to address in order to improve the eco-friendliness of your company.
If you’re struggling to think of things that could be addressed in your business energy policy, you could consider some of the following:
• Gas, electricity and water – take steps to reduce your consumption, and review your supplier
• Energy efficient electronics – whether it’s switching to energy saving lightbulbs, or investing in energy efficient equipment, there are a number of changes that could be made in this area
• Paper usage – cut down on the amount of paper used, and be sure to recycle what you do use
• Transportation – minimise the need for transportation, and encourage employees to carpool
• Culture – make environmental awareness part of your business’s culture and values – make it an everyday habit
• Chemical use – review the chemicals that your business uses, for example cleaning products
• Employees – educate and train your employees on energy efficiency and resource management
Are all the companies in your supply chain investing in sustainability?
• Supply chain – are all the companies in your supply chain investing in sustainability, too?
Remember that your business doesn’t have to be a big one, with lots of spare cash to invest in sustainability. Even if you make the smallest of changes to begin with, and then build up to bigger investments over time – you’re still doing your bit for the environment and helping to improve your business overall. By writing down your commitments to sustainability in the form of an energy policy, you’re ensuring that you stick to your responsibilities, and also making it easy to measure the progress that you make.
Take the first step towards an eco-friendly business, and start writing your company’s energy policy today.
