It’s officially 2020 and the world is operating at the most efficient and technologically advanced state than ever before. The cloud is constantly expanding, and I’m not talking about the white, fluffy ones floating in the sky. Communication and the transfer of information is happening faster than ever before. The ability to buy and receive goods is more efficient than we would have expected even a decade or two in the past. It’s an exciting time to be alive, that is for sure.
But another thing that is for sure is that resources aren’t unlimited and this drive for efficiency is taking its toll on the environment and the communities in which we do business. While some people or businesses might think they’re exempt, it’s important for all businesses to review their priorities and operations to look for ways to become more environmentally or socially responsible. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time to start. Here’s how;
Understand Your Impact
As a business, there’s potentially many ways your operations and logistics have an impact on the environment or the community around you. In order to understand your impact, you’ll need to walk through each process involved in running your business. This exercise can help your business become more responsible and efficient at the same time.
Identify Areas for Improvement
Once you’ve reviewed your businesses impact on the natural and social environment, look for ways that you can improve or reduce your impact. This can involve improving or modifying the types of materials you use in your product or packaging, updating your HR practices or policies, or implementing programs or initiatives for encouraging employees to give back or volunteer.
Focus Your Efforts
We know you may not be able to tackle it all at one time. It’s not any one’s business or individuals responsibility to fix all of the world’s problems, but understanding that even small changes can have a big impact is important to remember and as long as we’re all working towards this goal, improvements can be made.
In the new year and in the new decade, it’s not a new trend for customers to be concerned about the impact that the practices and products they use have on the environment. As a business, it’s critical to mirror this way of thinking and focus on becoming more environmentally and socially responsible. In order to make change happen, businesses need to understand your impact, identify areas for improvement, and focus your efforts on driving social and environmental change.