Environmental impacts involve using sustainable materials when producing products and services along with operating facilities, reducing energy consumption, and choosing business partners and suppliers who operate with the environment in mind. A business can reduce its impact on pollution and emissions, promote re-use practices with its customers, optimize supply chains to minimize fossil fuel use, and create products that promote this responsibility, like metal eating utensils or electric cars. If your business cuts down trees as part of its work process, it can plant more to offset it. The general public also tends to respond very favorably to this behavior, so it can have a strong business case as well as being ethically justified.

So how do we apply this in the workplace, both as employees and managers/stakeholders? For employees, it’s as simple as printing less often or forgoing paper printing by sending faxes or e-mails. Using a hand dryer rather than paper towels might seem inconsequential, but multiply this practice by millions of workers across the economy and it adds up. An office break room electing to BYOB your coffee rather than providing disposable Keurig K-cups can have an impact. Remembering to turn lights and computers off during a break or the end of work can not only affect company revenue, but every kilowatt-hour of energy consumption is tied to fossil fuel use, as well. While employees might not control programming or planning of environmental business practices, everyone can make a difference through small individual actions that scale to a noticeable impact overall.

For managers, executives, and investors, organizing and directing environmental initiatives can produce very positive results for both the environment and the business. Choosing to invest in LED light-bulbs and electric car charging stations in parking areas can encourage a culture of caring, and carefully monitoring ink/paper usage can be helpful also. While micro managing employee’s energy and resource usage can lead to conflict, positive attitudes and behaviors can be encouraged in subtle ways.

Environmental responsibility, in my opinion, should be the easiest to tackle for most businesses as it can involve direct cost savings and reduced downtime, as well as positive PR and increased comfort/pride for employees and managers. While certain initiatives may be more intensive or require a high initial investment, environmental responsibility can benefit all parties involved, from shareholders to employees, customers and business partners.