By Sharon Jones

Ron Mader

We live in a more environmentally aware world today. The subject is never far from the news, and people are making conscious decisions about the products they buy, use, and recommend. It’s vital that modern businesses understand this. And, that they can see past the whole climate change argument that tends to dominate the conversation.

It doesn't matter about your personal thoughts on the human responsibility of climate change. Plenty of business advantages come when you go green.  We’ve put together a few examples of those benefits - read on to find out more.

It saves your company money

First of all, let’s get to the bottom line. After all, it’s what all businesses need to protect, and the more you can cut back here, the better your profit margins will be. The simple truth is that the more you embrace an eco-friendly approach, the less you will spend on your business. Look at all areas of your company from the top down and identify areas of wasted energy. Even small, negligible practices like turning off the lights when you leave a room can have a significant impact on your margins.

Oriol Pascual

It cuts back your physical waste

Of course, not all waste is through energy and fuel. Material waste costs your business a huge amount of money each year. You will need to pay for the removal of everything from excess materials to canteen leftovers.

It speeds up operations

When you set up your company with a sensible eco-friendly strategy, you will find that you save a lot of time in many different areas. Going paperless, for example, not only saves you money but will speed up processes. Using document conversion services will help you find vital documents faster. Using email instead of a fax machine will mean you can send and receive messages in an instant. Plus, the reduction of waste products in your business means you will spend less time removing it. All in all, it makes complete sense to go green if you want a more efficient business.

It’s the perfect PR tool

As we mentioned in the introduction, people are making more informed choices about the products and services they use. There are two things to understand here. First of all, those that see the environment as important will not buy from you if they feel you are wasteful. However, those that don’t care about green issues will not leave you if you embrace eco-friendly practices. In short, you will increase your market potential just by wearing your green badges on your arm with pride. As long as you are meeting your environmental promises, of course!

You will attract better quality candidates

If you want better quality candidates applying for new roles with your company, you can find them by having a greener outlook. Eco-friendly companies tend to be healthier places to work. It’s something that can make the difference for job seekers when choosing who to work with. Make sure that you are creating the right environment, and you will see higher quality people being attracted to your company.

haron Jones is a contributor to zenruption and has her B.A. in political science from UCLA. As a new mother, she is interested in helping shape the world her daughter will inherit. She likes pina coladas and taking walks in the rain.