Company Policies and Practices That Promote a Lasting Green Change

Most businesses aren’t exactly known for having a small carbon footprint. Many are huge polluters that consume a lot of natural resources. However, as the world shifts its focus to more sustainable practices, many businesses across the globe are also shifting the way they do things. 

Whether you have a massive company or a small local business, you can do your part to help the environment and protect the planet by implementing company policies and practices that promote a lasting green change. 

Let’s take a look at some of the policies you can put in place now that will create lasting change within your business, helping you to reach your environmental goals and take action toward a more sustainable future. 

Educate Your Employees

One of the easiest ways to get started with greener initiatives is to establish a company culture that prioritizes sustainability. Train your employees on sustainable practices by using “greener” language in company-wide addresses, hosting webinars or specific training sessions, or bringing in environmental organizations to speak with everyone. Some of the best ways to start being morein the workplace include: 

• Encouraging more remote work
• Going paperless
• Setting up a recycling system
• Conserving energy
• Conserving water
• Partnering with nonprofit organizations.

Going green within your business isn’t just beneficial for the planet. Sustainability is good for business, too. Not only will it reduce costs and promote your business in a positive light, but going green can promote better physical and mental health among your employees. Happy, healthy employees are more productive, motivated, and more likely to remain loyal to their job. 

Invest in Green Infrastructure

Putting your money where your mouth is by investing in green infrastructure is a fantastic way to show your dedication to a cleaner, greener future. While it’s not the right move for every business, even small companies can invest in stocks and other green businesses that promote sustainable development. 

The more you can attach your name and brand to green initiatives of the future, the better. Some of the best “green stocks” you can get involved with today include:

• First Solar, Inc.
• Tesla
• Fisker, Inc.
• Stem, Inc.

Of course, these are just a couple — green stocks can include any public company that sells an environmental-savvy or clean energy solution. Green stocks are also unique in the fact that they receive temporary boosts when discussions around climate change increase. This is mainly because investor interest piques whenever the public becomes motivated about green change. 

This is ultimately a good thing because these companies will have more funding to actually make the world a better place. For example, hydrogen stocks, a subset of green stocks, are particularly lucrative. With more funding, hydrogen companies can invest in more technology and research that will make hydrogen a more viable solution within the alternative energy sector. Since green hydrogen, the byproduct of splitting hydrogen from water molecules can power a vast number of motors and may even replace natural gas pipelines, it’s a field that is only expected to grow upwards from here. In fact, some Goldman Sachs analysts believe this market has the potential to grow to $12 trillion. 

Here are just some of the up-and-coming hydrogen companies:

• FuelCell Energy
• Ballard Power Systems
• Bloom Energy
• Plug Power
• Air Products

Even if you don’t want to get involved in the stock market, consider doing your research on businesses that are taking action to promote sustainability. Partnering with them or investing in their initiatives is a great way to show your support.

Make Your Supply Chain More Sustainable

Supply chains have been the topic of conversation for many businesses over the last few years. The pandemic wreaked havoc on things, and while we’re starting to see more stability, things still aren’t where they once were. 

While it can be frustrating to deal with the bumps in current supply chain practices, it might be a perfect time to consider how you can make your efforts more sustainable for the future. Make sure you’re sourcing your materials responsibly by researching how they’re made and where they’re coming from. Reduce your consumption of natural resources by taking a look at packaging and materials and thinking about how you can cut back. Work with transportation companies that are dedicated to a sustainable future and use technology to cut back on carbon emissions and fuel waste. 

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to practices and policies you can put in place. There are countless ways to make a lasting green change within your business. Now is the time to get started. With new policies in place, you’ll find the motivation to continuously adapt and change with the needs of the planet. You’ll create a positive company environment focused on wellness, the future, and longevity, and it begins with a dedication to sustainable practices.