You care about the environment, but sometimes, you just don’t know where to begin with. You probably have a water bottle or tumbler for your drinks, a nice container to takeaway lunch while at work. That’s perfect! You are already one step ahead of many others in Malaysia, and now, think! Think about how you can extend such efforts on a bigger scale? At your office or company perhaps?
The need for sustainability in business is an important part of running a modern company. The impact of developing sustainable business practices has an impact not only on your company itself, but also your clients, staff, community, and of course the environment. Here are 4 tips we want to share with you in starting your office’s recycle and conservation program.
1. Set Up Recycling Program in the Company
It is very often to hear that your colleagues or managers probably don’t understand much about environmental issues, and here is how you can help them to reinforce a good habit. Start with recycling things that they use on a daily basis.
Set up a recycling station for a specific type of waste in a certain strategic location. For example, you set up a recycle bin at the photocopy machines area, so your colleagues know where to put their used documents. Similarly, you can locate a large recycle bin in the pantry area, so whenever someone finishes their takeaways, they can put those plastic containers into it. *Check out more about composting food waste here
One extra note though. As easy as it may sound, but you might want to consider placing clear instructions on what can and cannot go into the recycle bin, so you educate your colleagues too! What’s next? You call social enterprises like Fuze Ecoteer to come and collect those weekly or monthly and let them handle the rest of it for you.
2. Choose the Right Partners & Products
Create a circle of influence among you, your company, clients and suppliers. Positive vibes only, as the millennials call it nowadays. When you get your foot set and steady, start talking to your current suppliers about the intended recycle program that involves them. On the other hand, go look for the right partners that can provide you a boost down the sustainable route.
Partner up with Malaysia social enterprises such as Fuze Ecoteer that are passionate about protecting the community and environment. For instance, your company can sell those used plastics or join them in their volunteering conservation or recycling programmes around Malaysia. In fact, discuss any possibilities, because you never know what can go right!
Select products that are sold by those social enterprises, those incomes generally go back to other conservation projects or environmental initiatives. Take Fuze Ecoteer as an example, every product that you purchase, part of the earnings will go directly to a project like the Perhentian Marine Research Station! Now, how cool is that? Your company is starting to contribute to the conservation effort for real now.
3. Start to ‘Wear’ Less for Conservation
Another not-so-secret tip we want to share with you is ‘packaging’. If you go have a deep check on your costings now, you will realize that packaging is eating you up in most scenarios. Hence, you will likely agree with us that packaging is costly and not friendly to the environment.
Like the topic suggests, ‘wearing less’ might actually lead your business to a more promising route. It is time for the management members to restrategize methods to improve the assembly lines, optimize packaging efficiency. In collaboration with the sales & marketing team, start to promote the bundle package, discourage a la carte purchases as part of the recycling program.
These efforts will not only help your company contribute effort into conservation, on the flip side, profit will also be higher when the cost has gone down. Now, don’t you want to start recycling and conservation now?
4. Build an Eco-friendly Culture
The movement of going paperless has made great progress over the years, but there’s more than just encouraging your colleagues to rely on electronic devices. Building a more sustainable practice might start at the top, but it has to be integral to the culture of the whole company so every employee cares and takes part.
Here’s what we propose to you for starter:
Read up, study and really understand the environmental topics.
Review which departments of the company can initiate the first step, set them as examples.
Be open and accept others’ ideas in perfecting the culture
Invite experts in conservation or sustainability to explain what it really is about to the larger audience.
Join any local environmental volunteering events, quarterly or yearly, get everyone around you involved.
Culture takes years to flourish and rise on top, so don’t try to do too many things at once. You will likely be burned out or your colleagues will be frustrated, and it might not end well. Start small, but finish strong, and pretty!
Yes! We want to tell you once again, you can make a big change if you want to! It doesn’t matter if you are just a fresh graduate or a senior member of your company, the environment belongs to all of us, it is our duty to protect it. Therefore, start any recycling program now!
Alternatively, you are always welcome to talk to us for any thoughts you have!