Environmental Awareness: What Business Owners Should Know
Every year, business owners discover new benefits and convenient ways to be more environmentally friendly. Sustainable companies are trending away from disposable thinking and making use of reusable cleanroom garments, reusable packaging, and recycled materials. In addition, there are benefits that go beyond increased efficiency and cost savings.
There is also a relationship between a company’s reputation for being green and its brand value. Around the globe, customers are seeking out environmentally responsible companies, which is encouraging small business owners to let their patrons know about their sustainable practices.
Environmental Ethics Attract Loyal Customers and Employees
A reputation for being green and sustainable makes your company more marketable and appeals to a broad base of individuals and age groups. As millennials begin to outnumber baby boomers, there are even more environmentally conscious customers who are actively seeking eco-friendly companies to support.
This is good news for small and local businesses, and for nationwide companies investing in sustainability. Just some of the benefits of highlighting your green initiatives include:
- Attracting a new base of customers, and the associated increase in sales
- A greater likelihood of receiving green specified government contracts
- An increase in the value of your brand when it is identified as environmentally friendly
- The ability to attract and keep talented employees who prefer to work for a greener company
The Survey Says: People Prefer Environmentally Aware Companies
Surveys have shown that 53% of consumers globally prefer to patronize businesses with a reputation for environmental awareness. In the United States, 42% stated that this was an important factor in their purchasing decision.1
It’s safe to assume that close to half of your potential customers want to know what steps your company is taking to preserve natural resources and protect the environment. Knowing the potential increase in sales these initiatives could generate might make you more likely to take these easy steps toward going green.
Green Ways to Impress Your Customers
While you may have already switched to energy-efficient lighting and new heating or cooling systems, there are some other ways to improve sustainability and enhance your brand reputation.
Some steps your business might take include:
- Going paperless, which not only lowers office costs but also gives you the opportunity to communicate with your customers via email to inform them of your initiatives.
- Changing product packaging to reduce costs and improve customer understanding of your sustainable company.
- Supplying reusable work uniforms to employees to provide a more professional appearance than disposable aprons or garments.
- Tracking reductions in waste and improvements your company makes to lower pollution or chemical use and highlighting these in customer communications.
- Considering the importance of your brand’s reputation for sustainability when making important purchases and business decisions.
- Transitioning to reusable sterile garments for high-tech or medical manufacturing to eliminate the waste associated with disposable cleanroom attire.
- Donating time, products, or materials for local cleanup efforts, food banks, and other environmentally friendly community events.
Surpassing Requirements and Making a Clear Difference
When your company goes beyond what is required and chooses to protect the environment and health of your community, that community gathers around to support your business in return. The benefits begin to spread from the bottom line to the health and beauty of the world we share.
Since 1932, Prudential Overall Supply has been committed to providing environmentally sustainable industrial uniform rental, reducing or eliminating the use of disposable products. Our large-scale laundry process has less impact on clean water resources than washing uniforms at home. Contact us today to find out more about how our reusable cleanroom garments and uniforms can support your sustainability!
Source: