Every business owner knows that sustainability is not a trend or a fad but, rather, a necessity. One way to evaluate your business’s sustainability is by conducting a sustainability audit. Sustainability audits allow companies to take a closer look at their operations and identify opportunities for minimizing their carbon footprint, which in the long term helps reduce expenses and improve efficiency. Here are the key areas to focus on when conducting a sustainability audit for your business:
Energy Usage
Assess your facility’s energy consumption by reviewing utility bills and evaluating the performance of your equipment. Check for areas where energy is being wasted, such as outdated lighting, inefficient HVAC systems or even poor insulation. Simple changes like upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and equipment and properly maintaining and optimizing HVAC systems can go a long way in reducing energy costs and increasing your business’s sustainability.
Waste Management
Evaluate your business’s waste management systems and practices. Identify the types of waste generated, whether it’s paper, plastic, food or electronics, and determine if any can be reduced or eliminated. Then take a look at how your facility handles recycling. Are there any materials or waste that could be recycled that aren’t being recycled currently? Are you reducing packaging waste by using eco-friendly, recyclable materials? Are your packaging systems optimized to reduce the use of unnecessary excess materials? These are all important questions to ask when assessing your facility’s waste management practices.
Water Consumption
You can track your water usage by looking at utility bills and identifying any areas where water is being wasted. Check for leaky faucets, running toilets and inefficient irrigation systems. Consider upgrading to water-efficient solutions like low-flow faucets and toilets and adjusting irrigation schedules to conserve water and lower utility costs. You may also want to consider installing faucets with motion sensors, which automatically stop the flow of water if the sink is not in use.
Materials and Packaging
Take stock of the materials your business uses, from general supplies to production materials. To reduce your environmental footprint, consider switching to more sustainable alternatives, like recyclable or compostable packaging. Veritiv Pollock offers custom sustainable packaging solutions to help your business streamline the packaging process, reduce waste and improve overall efficiency. You can implement more sustainable practices not only through the materials you use but also through your packaging design. Optimizing your package sizes, dimensions and materials improves accuracy, allowing you to use fewer materials and take up less space, which leads to lower shipping costs and an overall reduction in your environmental footprint.
Cleaning Products
Take a close look at the cleaning products used throughout your facility. Assess whether your current inventory includes harsh chemicals or single-use packaging that could be replaced with greener alternatives. Eco-friendly cleaning products, made from renewable and non-toxic ingredients, are great for reducing your facility’s environmental impact and supporting a healthier workplace. They often come in recyclable packaging and can help improve indoor air quality by reducing exposure to toxic chemicals. Veritiv Pollock offers a full range of sustainable cleaning resources, including cleaning products, equipment and LEED certification training, that align with green initiatives while maintaining high standards of hygiene and performance.
Create an Action Plan
Once you’ve completed your sustainability audit and identified areas where you can be more eco-friendly, it’s time to create an action plan. Start by prioritizing areas that have the greatest environmental impact, like waste management and cleaning programs. Set long-term goals that can be broken down into smaller, actionable steps. Your action plan should include clear timelines, necessary resources and specific actions everyone on the team can take to contribute. Regularly monitor and reassess your facility’s sustainability practices to ensure you’re staying on track and making adjustments where needed.
Conducting a sustainability audit is the first step toward creating a greener, more efficient facility. By considering these key areas, you can reduce your business’s environmental footprint while increasing efficiency and lowering costs. Veritiv Pollock is here to support you on your sustainability journey through our wide range of green solutions, including packaging, shipping, cleaning and more. Get started with us today!
