Showing that you’re environmentally aware and working to reduce your carbon footprint is an increasingly important business strategy. With Climate Week taking place last week, now is the perfect time for SMEs around the world to really consider how to implement practical, energy-saving measures.
Reducing carbon footprints may not be high on the agenda for many SMEs, but the truth is that becoming more environmentally aware can also dramatically reduce energy costs – recent research from the Carbon Trust indicated that £2.5 billion could be saved by small to medium-sized businesses annually if they implemented energy-efficiency measures. With 43% of small to medium-sized businesses we surveyed in the Sage Business Index citing rising costs as their second-biggest business challenge, this is obviously a very relevant issue. Reducing expenditure was seen as the highest priority by all businesses in the future, too (around 50% cited this in each country).
Going green is increasingly becoming integral to the way that small businesses are run. And having a conscientious attitude to the environment is not only useful for saving costs – it can function as a powerful marketing tool as well. Showing that your business is actively thinking about green initiatives can really set you apart from the masses; indeed, the UK’s Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs recently found that businesses that voluntarily decide to commit to reporting their energy-saving efforts enjoy better relationships with consumers and business partners.
While perhaps daunting and costly to begin with, becoming more efficient is really achievable; even fairly small changes can make a significant difference and will save money in the long-term.
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