And of course with green I do not refer to the color of the entry hall or the logo, but rather a lookout for sustainability in corporate life. It is not that difficult. Some small and easy changes for a start, some bigger changes in the middle, some investments in the end. Always keep your employees informed, not only in the “please do this and that” manner, but rather in the “please do this and that BECAUSE…” manner. Employees like to be taken serious. And you crush lots of resistance by giving solid reason from the very beginning.

Now, for a chemical plant it is not difficult to understand why going green might render some benefits (less trouble with the neighboring village, higher accessibility to national loans, …). But what about small service oriented companies?

Well, here we go with some nice reasons that might be interesting for your CEO and CFO, even though they are not that into sustainability:

1. Save money. Wasted resources add up to wasted money. Triplicated print-outs, use of plastic cups for water fountains, computers running all night long for laziness to boot again the next day, dripping water taps, ill-adjusted heating systems that make you open the window… All these points are relatively small in themselves, but they add up once you start tackling them. And they work in all kind of companies, whenever there is an office involved.
   Solution: involve your employees to spot inefficiencies and find solutions.
2. Increase your profitability. The side effect of sustainability policies is the thrive for constant improvement. This will also impact the way your employees perceive your product or service. Innovations and continuous improvement thrive most in participative companies. And this will generate more money.
3. If you are a start-up or looking for venture capital for any other reason, going green can improve your reputation and increase your chances for funding. Venture capitalists usually honor green commitment and the sound policies that are usually underlying the strategy as something that gives a business the extra stability needed to survive in tough economic times.
4. Retain employees . Especially those that care for things outside their own garden, which might be the environment and you. By keeping them involved in the sustainability of the company you create bonding and satisfaction at the same time.
5. Get ready for coming legislation. The EU is constantly updating its environmental laws and directives and all of those will be incorporated into national laws sooner than later. It is definitely worse the effort to get ahead of the crowd and have policies in place with enough time ahead for a proper implementation

Feel free to add more reasons in the comment section!

• sustainability