Doing Good for the World
Giving back through charitable deeds is one important step businesses can take to be ‘sustainable’.
By practicing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a company contributes money, time or expertise that enhance society and the environment.
Through CSR programs, philanthropy and volunteer efforts, businesses can benefit society while boosting their brands. Activities like these are of course very important for the wider community, and they can also have a really positive impact on your business. They help create a stronger bond between your business and your people, boost morale and help everyone feel more connected with the world around them.
Everyone can get involved
The beauty of philanthropy and volunteering is that businesses large and small can get involved with doing good in the world.
You can do one-off activities like sponsoring a local event or making a donation to help your community. For example, one of our clients recently bought her local Scout pack some bat box kits that they could make together at a Scout meeting.
At Grant Jones we give back through our partnership with B1G1. By becoming a ‘Business for Good’ we can do great work for some of the most disadvantaged communities around the world every time we do great work for a client.
Every B1G1 project has been carefully assessed to make sure that every penny of our donation reaches the intended project, so we know we really are changing lives.
Helping the planet
There are also plenty of things you can do to help the planet through various schemes and initiatives:
1. Get your team out of their cars with the Bike to Work Scheme.
2. Do your bit towards reducing CO2 emissions by introducing a meat-free day at work
(make sure you’re not imposing this on people though).
1. Set your office up to be paperless.
2. Encourage homeworking and virtual meetings instead travelling.
And the big one is to look at your energy bills. Regularly reviewing these and ensuring you’re getting the best deals can save your business a lot of money, as well as ensuring more green energy is being added to the national grid.
According to The Carbon Trust, a 20% cut in energy costs is the same as a 5% increase in sales, so make reviewing your energy bills and provider a priority. There are also some great energy brokers who will do the legwork work for you and secure you the lowest costs with better contractual terms. An Internet search will bring up many good brokers in this field.
And finally, make sure you’re considering energy conservation as well with things like:
- Switching equipment off when you’re not using it
- Replacing inefficient equipment
- Making the switch to energy efficient lights
- Installing lighting timers or sensors
- Taking advantage of natural light
- Cutting your water usage
- Re-sealing windows and doors
Some small investments will make a big difference to our carbon footprint. Imagine what a huge impact we could all make to our communities and to the planet if we all adopt a few practices that ensure we’re doing good in the world.
If you’d like to find out more about how we’re making an impact by being a ‘Business for Good’, take a look at our impact page on our website. Or if you’d like to speak to us about the financial impact of becoming a more sustainable business, give us a call.
