We’ve finally reached the point, according to some – a point of no return, where the effects of global warming and climate change cannot be ignored anymore.
That said, the people are pretty much-entering panic mode and who can blame them?
After all, more powerful and more common natural disasters are felt the most by the people and not the corporations or their CEOs.
The possibility of the end of life or humanity, to be more precise, as we know it, has forced people to get vocal about their concerns.
Entrepreneurs who share these concerns are now trying their best to make their businesses greener, eco-friendly and more eco-conscious in general.
While some people honestly believe entrepreneurs are concerned about the environment, others are more skeptical since business success and reputation are on the line.
Consumers expect companies to do more about the environment or they simply won’t buy anything from them.
Regardless of the agenda behind everything, if you want to make your business more eco-conscious, here are a few ways you can do that.
1. Conduct a green audit
Not many entrepreneurs consider how their business affects the environment. In most cases, it comes down to damage control once consumers get wind of inappropriate behavior.
If you want to avoid any bad publicity and you actually want your business to be more eco-oriented from the start, you should conduct a green audit.
In essence, consider what it is that your business does and what’s the impact of your actions on the environment.
Then consider what you can do about it to make it more eco-conscious. For instance, some startups use renewable energy while others use recycled materials.
Also, you can consider a paperless office and move toward a digital transformation. There are a lot of things that can be done if you have the will and the motivation to do so.
2. Redesign your products
As mentioned before, consumers are expecting businesses to become greener. If you don’t meet those expectations, you’re losing a lot of business.
This is especially true when it comes to the millennial generation. They’re the ones that are the most concerned about the environment and they’re also the largest consumer group today.
Therefore, if you want to show your worth and prove that your business is, in fact, more eco-conscious, then consider redesigning your products or services.
Again, consider using recyclable materials, provide sustainability options and zero waste.
Your concern for the environment regards both your willingness to mend the global crisis or at least contribute towards the solution in a small yet effective way and your business reputation.
As you may already know, reputation is vital for business success these days.
3. Support eco-friendly and eco-conscious solutions
Consumers became so vocal about their concerns regarding pollution, climate change, and global warming to the point where governments and large companies can no longer ignore them.
Even the most problematic situations, such as pollution in China, for instance, are being tended to.
The fact of the matter is that everyone needs to be on the same page if we want to get out of this alive and everything begins with small steps.
An eco-conscious business is not just a company that uses recycled material coffee cups at the office. In fact, it’s a company that supports eco-friendly solutions.
The best way you can do that is by investing in other startups that provide such solutions, donate to charities and nonprofits that support similar causes and, of course, promote the eco-conscious mindset publicly.
You too need to get vocal about it and the more people hear you, the better.
4. Don’t do it alone
Millennials are the largest consumer group these days but they’re also becoming the largest workforce as well.
If you’re setting out to make your business more eco-conscious, you should know that you don’t have to and shouldn’t have to do it alone.
If your company’s culture is oriented towards eco-friendliness, you should promote it and attract employees who will share your vision.
By having eco-minded employees, you’ll be able to work with them on creating green solutions and strategies for not just your office but your other efforts as well.
The Millennial generation is much more focused on such activities than their predecessors and you can leverage their aspiration to its fullest potential.
They’re the ones who want to change the world and make it a better place environmentally-wise so don’t hesitate to get them on board or to ask for their opinions.
5. Become an example
An eco-conscious business consists of both what you do and what you say.
As that saying goes: “If you talk the talk, you must also walk the walk.” What you say must be backed by what you do and you must become an example for others to follow.
That said, if your business is green and focused on doing something good for the environment, then make sure everyone knows about it.
Create an eco-friendly marketing campaign aside from your product or service promotions.
Share informative and educational content with your consumers and publicly speak about environmental problems and potential issues.
Use every channel at your disposal ranging from social media to email and let the media work in your favor.
As mentioned before, it begins with small steps and when they see you doing good, others will surely start to follow in your footsteps.
This will not only help ensure trust and loyalty from your employees but also from your consumers.
A business with a good reputation, especially a reputation that revolves around benefiting the environment in today’s world, is sure to get far in every sense of the word.
The greed of large corporations and governments has resulted in a huge environmental impact that we all suffer from today.
However, it’s time for a change and that change relies on the consumers and businesses that are willing to listen to their customers’ pleas.
Making sure your business is eco-conscious may be a small but surely an impactful step toward a brighter future.
Keith Coppersmith is a business and marketing expert who has experienced both the rise and fall of many businesses. He enjoys writing and providing insight based on both practice and theory.
