Most business owners understand the importance of employee and customer satisfaction. However, very few think about the responsibility they have to the community. This is especially the case when it comes to doing what’s best for the environment.

Let’s take a moment to discuss a few ways corporations can benefit the environment through their work.

Get Rid of Plastic

Is your break room stocked with plastic water bottles? If so, your business could be playing a major role in polluting landfills. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to decompose.

The better option would be to issue cups to your employees that are reusable. This can be done during the on-boarding process, rather than having employees use a different disposable cup or bottle every day.

Go Paperless

Does your business rely on paper-based processes? According to Earthava, 68 million trees are used per year to produce paper. Trees are responsible for preventing things such as soil erosion, flooding, and greenhouse gases.

Instead of relying so heavily on paper, invest in cloud storage, sign up for electronic bills, and create a system that helps you find your most important documents without all the waste.

Use LED Bulbs

Is your office equipped with incandescent bulbs? The government now has regulations specifically about light bulbs and energy efficiency. However, there are still a lot of options on the market–some are more efficient than others.

When choosing bulbs for your office, you need to select those that help you conserve as much energy as possible. Not only is this a great way to help the environment, but you’ll also cut down on your utility bill, too.

Encourage Telecommuting

Is it possible for your employees to do most of their work from home? If so, you should create a culture that accommodates telecommuting.

Telecommuting is an excellent way to reduce air pollution, carbon emissions, and fossil fuels. You’ll also cut down on the amount of energy it takes to run your office building.

Add Indoor Plants

Indoor plants do more than improve the aesthetics of your office. They can also improve air quality.

This is especially the case if you add plants that are known for removing contaminants. Consider decorating your office space with rubber plants, peace lilies, and Areca Palms.

Power Down Electronics

Another great way to conserve energy is to unplug your electrical appliances. Make it mandatory for employees to turn off their computers before they leave the building. This should also include copiers and printers as they’re typically on standby mode all night.

Provide Recycling Bins

A lot of people view recycling as an inconvenience because they don’t have access to recycling centers. The good news is that you can make the process easy by providing dedicated bins. This way, you can ensure that they’re plastics end up in a recycling center rather than a landfill.

Fewer Conferences

No matter what industry you’re in, travel is an essential part of doing business. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re always obligated to leave your office.

There are some meetings and conferences that can take place online. Whenever possible, set up video conferences and webinars. When you cut down on traveling, you help reduce carbon emissions.

Habitat Restoration

Sometimes helping the environment is not about what you need to stop doing. In some instances, it’s more about what you should start doing. This is especially the case when it comes to natural habitats.

If your business is one that does a lot of mining, drilling, infrastructure, or construction then it’s extremely important that you work to restore the habitat you disturb. Ideally, you should leave these sites in better condition than you found them. This means seeding and implementing erosion control measures after you’re done working in the area.

Donate to an Environmental Cause

One of the best ways to benefit the environment in 2020 is to donate to an environmental cause. There’s an endless list of organizations that work to ensure that the environment remains healthy and free of pollutants.

By donating and partnering with some of these organizations, you can become more educated about the steps that your business needs to take to do better for the planet. You can also ensure that your employees learn more about the part they play in keeping the environment safe.

Remember Your Social Responsibility

It’s easy to become busy with the everyday operations of your business. This is especially true if you’re new to entrepreneurship and own a small business.

However, it’s important that you consider what social responsibility you have to your community and the world. Though the changes that we’ve just discussed may seem small and insignificant, they can make a huge difference in the long run.