Business sustainability. We’ve all been made aware of sustainability with regard to recycling paper, glass, cans and other products at home for many years now. I know this has become much more mainstream in working with my clients. Home owners are increasingly aware also of where they can recycle their paper, electronics, as well as their “stuff.” And in the business place, my clients have set up recycling programs for paper, soda cans, and are finally more open to electronic organization to decrease the overuse of paper.

Reducing the impact is a great first step to becoming an environmental steward. We’ve known about social entrepreneurs for years, where one has a passion for a cause because they have seen an unfair situation or personally they had been slighted, so they create a foundation to improve the situation.

Currently more and more businesses are revealing their own passion to protect and conserve our world through their business practices. I’ve committed to a program over the next couple of months to learn about how my business can take a stand in being sustainable incorporating the concepts of a triple bottom line, focusing on more than just profit — to now include social and community interests as well.

I’ll be writing more about this topic in the weeks to come. In the meantime, think about some actions you can put in place to start implementing green initiatives in your work.

Here are a few ideas as you develop your own:

• Use printers that can print on both sides.
• Increase your efforts and budget to buy recycled supplies.
• Add recycling receptacles to your individual office as well as common areas.
• Implement a used battery collection program to properly dispose of personal batteries.
• As summer is coming, create a bicycle rack and lockers for employees to encourage bicycle commuters.
• Use an intranet environment to inform employees of your program listing resources for their personal involvement as well.
• Highlight employees in an e-newsletter, who are taking sustainability home with them.

These are just a few ideas and I welcome your feedback and suggestions. Let me know what you are doing to become a sustainable organization. Think about developing your own Triple Bottom Line plan and strategy.

Watch for more as I continue with my class over the next six weeks! I’m excited to share with you how we can all make a difference. This brings my passion of being of service to a whole new level.  If you would like to consider becoming a triple bottom line company, I would highly recommend this program.  Another class is coming up in September.  Check out their site for more information.  http://proggroup.com/greater-good-project.html. 

© Strategize & Organize, Anne McGurty. 2010

I was working with a client this past week and one of the green initiatives they were taking as an organization was to change the scheduling of their supply ordering to one time a month.  this change from a semi monthly schedule not only saves in shipping costs, now 50% less since it’s half the orders, but also saves on the frequency of deliveries, which cuts down on shipping and transportation costs. 

Companies are all looking at how they can save time and money and have for years.  however, the new added value of relating the benefit to the environment is a great spin to feel more proactive about these efforts.

think about your office with something as simple as your supply ordering.  how many times, does someone run out to the Office Max to pick up something, or the random online orders from various vendors.  The former procurement executive in me is coming out here with my recommendations.  Try these simple ideas to be more efficient with your time and money and do your part to be eco-organized.

1. centralize your vendors
2. create a list of your needed items
3. create a budget based on your history
4. schedule one day a month to process orders
5. have shipments delivered

I always enjoyed the procurement process because it gives you lots of information to analyze your trends, pricing, and volume.  when you know that information, you can start to negotiate better pricing with your vendors.  Another benefit of centralizing a process and being focused on the task at hand. Being organized once again pays off.

(c) Strategize & Organize. 2010