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If your business rents an office or shop premises from a landlord, then don’t worry, there are still many things you can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.

And most importantly, however much or little you are able to do, you must tell your customers what you are doing.  People like to buy from businesses that are ethical and sustainable.  

Here are my top tips for improving the environmental performance of your business if you rent:

  • Turn off lights, computers and other machines when not in use.  Put up stickers, particularly in parts of the building that are intermittently used – e.g. kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Make sure doors and windows are closed in cold weather.  The Close the Door campaign shows how you can do this without losing trade.
  • Can you reduce the number of journeys made by car or van?  Where journeys are unavoidable, are your staff aware of eco-driving techniques?  Has home working and remote working had a positive or negative impact on your environmental performance?
  • How local is your supply chain?  Can you buy local?
  • If there are heating and air conditioning controls that you have access to, have you reviewed how you use them?  Better control of heating and air conditioning is one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy consumption.
  • Are there any empty fridges or freezers?  Are they turned off?  Where there are fridges that have stuff in them, are they kept full and frost-free?
  • Devise a simple monitoring strategy to show how you are getting on.  Take photos.  Tell your customers via your website, social media, in your window.  They will feel good about buying from you if they know you are an environmentally business.

Can you think of any others?  My workbook (pay as you feel) will help.

If you need expert help with taking environmental action then check out my energy advice packages for small businesses.  Tell me what makes your business great and we’ll make it greener and more profitable.  #EnergyConfident

 

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