10 Positive Things Your Business can do to Reduce its Impact on Climate Change

We know to reuse and recycle our plastics at home. We know to not leave the tap running when we brush our teeth. We know that we should cycle, walk or take the bus to work. We know that if we don’t make the necessary changes to our lives, we will destroy the planet. But what about with our businesses? How can we ensure that we make the changes needed to protect the planet, and where do we start? The 10 Positive Things campaign helps to answer this.

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At ethical partnership our work is guided by our values. We aim to protect and conserve the natural environment and resources of the planet, and we seek to reflect this in the way we advise our clients, design schemes and select our partners; no exploitation of People or Planet in the pursuit of Profit.

We have put together our ’10 Positive Things’ campaign to highlight how easy it is for businesses to reduce their impact on climate change and move towards being ‘net zero emission’. Not only can this help fight the climate crisis, but it can add social, economic and environmental value to your business.

The 10 Positive P's

By using electricity which is from renewable sources – hydro, solar or wind – you can help protect our planet’s natural resources. Renewable energy sources now generate almost a third of the UK’s electricity; however, with renewable energy jobs in the UK plunging by a third, we need to ensure a constant push to embrace the green alternatives to power!

By planting trees on your land or sponsoring others to do so on their land, you will not only help fight the climate crisis and protect the environment, but this offers an excellent way to establish and promote your business.

By only purchasing essential things that you ‘need’ and not ‘want,’ you provide far more opportunities for your business to reuse and recycle. You can share or rent your existing assets with other businesses to help cut waste and save/make money compared with purchasing assets yourself. You can find groups on Facebook or LinkedIn, which also provide an excellent way to network with other local businesses.

If the property is yours, invest to reduce the total annual energy it consumes, then invest in solar panels or geothermal heat pump to generate your own. Not only are you producing your own energy on your own land, but you can add to your income by selling excess energy back to the power grid with a feed-in tariff.

You can also choose to only lease from companies committed to reducing emissions, or contact your landlord about how easy it is for businesses to reduce their impact on climate change by introducing them to this campaign!

Avoid packaging where possible by looking at your supply chain for areas of improvement and if necessary look for plant, paper and wood based packaging. By using less packaging you help mitigate the need for recycling and waste management. You can also read more about your Duty of Care when it comes to waste management to ensure that your waste is disposed of properly. 

Use public transport wherever available to help reduce unnecessary carbon emissions, however if you have to use a car then share the journey with others for a more environmentally-friendly (and social!) experience. Fly only when essential and use electric vehicles wherever possible – there are more charging stations being added every day. 

At ethical partnership we have recently acquired a folding bicycle for short commutes around the city. This not only saves on time, money and emissions, but also offers a chance for midday exercise to help refresh your brain. 

Ask your staff for ideas about how to help your business reduce emissions, and encourage them to reduce their impact on climate change in their personal lives. 

Set aside time to plan for your business to be net zero emission. If you are concerned about feeling overwhelmed, implement changes gradually. Promote your achievements to your customers and suppliers – everyone will be happy to hear how you are making an impact and they may be inspired to make changes in their own lives and businesses too!

Similarly to looking at your supply chain for areas of improvement, look at how you can reduce emissions in your own manufacturing process and how you deliver your services.

Reducing the negative impacts our businesses make to climate change should be our priority, so make sure it is. By working to reduce your impact on climate change and move towards being ‘net zero emission,’ you will add great value to your business. Share this campaign with colleagues, employees and peers to help show how easy it can be to make small changes that will protect the planet.

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We hope that if this information has been useful you will consider sharing it on social media – this will help ensure that reversing the effects of climate change are top priority for everyone. 

You can find out about the work we do here and you can contact us for more information about the campaign. Follow our social media on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date with our work and the ’10 Positive Things’ campaign.  

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