How to Show Your Customers That You’re a Green Company
The term “green company” is a marketing hot button in today’s business world, but it’s a poorly defined term, so using it effectively takes some planning. You don’t have to be a huge international corporation with a LEED-certified facility to be a green company; in fact, you don’t need any certifications at all. Companies of any size can take steps toward becoming a green company, helping the environment, and building customer confidence and trust. Green programs are an excellent way to engage your customers in discussion on social media, and they can be an effective way for businesses to extend their brand exposure in their local communities.
- Reduce Waste – There are many ways, large and small, that companies can reduce waste. Turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees during winter and up in summer; conserve water with automatic sinks and water-saving toilets; eliminate paper waste with electronic communications in-house, and reduce or eliminate the amount of physical mail your company sends out for marketing. Each of these practices can add up to big savings and provide valid talking points for your company’s website, social media, and marketing material.
- In-House Recycling – It’s surprisingly easy to find recycling opportunities in any business. Using a certified shredding service to dispose of old documents, recycling the plastic cups the coffee machine uses and encouraging employees to use separated bins to dispose of everything from lunch trash to mail all add up to significantly less waste going into the landfill. Setting up an E-waste recycling station in your office is a double bonus because it ensures that the company’s E-waste is safely and responsibly disposed of, along with your employee’s personal E-waste.
- Community Recycling Outreach – If your company’s facility lends itself to visitors, you might consider making your E-waste recycling station available to the community, either ongoingly or with periodic events. Storefront businesses can combine recycling events with in-store promotions, such as offering a premium or discount to customers who bring recycling to your location.
- Be Honest – However your company chooses to implement green practices, it’s critical to be honest about your efforts, be consistent, and to offer a sense of transparency as you publicize your efforts. Public backlash against companies who engage in “green-washing” – pretending to be green when they’re really not – can be fierce. Becoming a green company is more than developing a marketing campaign; it’s a process of implementing practices that are genuinely environment-friendly, then letting the world see that your company is doing its part.
Make a Plan for Becoming a Green Company
Combined Resources, Inc. is a leader in eco-conscious waste recycling. We can help you make a plan for becoming a green company by creating a program of customized strategies to reduce your company’s waste and environmental impact. Contact us at 630-693-0111 for a waste audit, and to learn more about becoming a green company with support from Combined Resources, Inc.
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