Businesses across a range of industries are being urged to reduce the amount of waste they produce but it can be a challenge to do so without negatively impacting operations. However, it is possible, and with some small steps firms can get started on the right path to drastically cut the amount of rubbish they are creating.
There are plenty of reasons modern businesses should look at the volume of waste they are producing and how they can make improvements. Not only can such a move boost your corporate social responsibility reports and differentiate your brand but it can help reduce costs in the long-term too. The process of minimising waste will vary between businesses and industries but try out some of these steps to start your waste reduction initiative.
Look internally – If you want to reduce waste you should first look at your processes. While there are some broad suggestions that can help most businesses, real change should consider your own operations and the industry you work in. By tracking the waste produced you can identify where the biggest savings can be made.
Set targets and assess the outcomes – Once you know where you want to make waste reduction within your operations, setting targets and then assessing success is important. Without this step, it’s easy for changes to slip and business practices to fall back into old habits. It’ll also help you identify where further improvements can be made.
Start a recycling process – Businesses are always going to create some waste but you can reduce your impact on the environment by recycling as much as possible. It can be as simple as having different bins in the staff room to improving the management of waste during production cycles.
Consider going paperless – In the digital world the majority of businesses can go paperless with relatively little initial cost and benefit from long term savings. Even if it’s not possible to cut the use of paper out totally, look at areas where you can make reductions, such as offering customers electronic receipts or using a platform where employees can store notes and appointments instead of noting them down.
Work with an expert – Internally dealing with waste can be a challenge for some organisations but teaming up can help. Working with a partner that will ensure as much as your waste it recycled or reused can take the hassle out of your hands but still provide you with the benefits.
