In corporate America, people don’t always associate environmental accountability with profitability. In fact, some of the most successful megacorporation’s owe much of their net margins to their abject indifference toward the climate crisis. Carrying out operations as cheaply and as possible has often come at the expense of the environment, and this has enabled many companies to prosper. Thankfully, this dynamic has been changing dramatically and will continue to do so as the climate crisis continues to escalate. Here are some of the most important benefits of exercising environmental accountability.
Attract Customers
In general, consumers are assigning more and more priority to living sustainability. They want to buy products and services that help them do that. Furthermore, they want to support companies that really care about the environment rather than contributing to the gains of corporations that don’t. Being an eco-friendly business is going to help to win over eco-conscious consumers.
Shape a Positive Company Culture
For the most part, individuals want to work for employers that demonstrate environmental and social ethics. If sustainability figures strongly into a company’s mission and values, that’s something that their employees can be proud of. Generating positive sentiment about sustainability initiatives can enhance company culture, foster loyalty among a company’s workforce, and attract first-rate employment candidates.
Generate Savings
Some companies don’t make protecting the environment much of a priority because they are concerned that the cost of modernizing their operations to be more sustainable will hurt their bottom line too much. However, running an eco-friendly business doesn’t have to entail coping with exorbitant overhead expenses. Many of the steps that companies can take to step up sustainability could help to reduce costs.
Energy costs tend to be big line items in operating budgets. This is especially true of companies with large facilities. Big commercial buildings and industrial plants consume an enormous amount of power over the course of a typical workday. Smart tactics to moderate usage may lower energy costs considerably.
Companies should seek to manage their facilities in a way to promote energy efficiency. Heating and cooling activities often represent a big chunk of total energy usage, so operations managers should be attentive to maintaining their properties and HVAC systems in a manner that optimizes performance. Insulation and structural improvements in a facility can generate good results. Likewise, comprehensive maintenance enables systems to run efficiently and last longer.
Ultimately, environmental accountability helps businesses on several different fronts. Embracing sustainability can support long-term growth.