Business Actions
As a customer, we want to support businesses that care about fighting climate change. Not just companies that talk the talk. Greenwash sucks! don’t do it. But the companies that change their products and how they do business to help improve the world, rather than causing it to burn. That is attractive. Here you will find some ideas for Business actions to fight climate change. Both actions for businesses to take and actions for customers.
As a business owner, its not just about the money, its about serving your community, creating value for customers and being a good corporate citizen with a respectable reputation for doing the right thing. Step up and use your company’s resources to fight climate change.
Customer Reviews
If you see a business that is doing the right thing, Give them a review and highlight how they are helping fight climate change, OR engage the business to give them the opportunity to learn and respond.
Social Media Engagement
Social Media, especially Twitter is a great place for customers and businesses to engage. Do you see an opportunity for a company to do more for the climate? Let them know. Additionally, you are starting a public conversation and allowing the company to choose to step up and do the right thing. One of my earliest engagements was asking solo cup to put the recycling symbol on their cups (they already had it planned)
Avoid Greenwash
Greenwash is all about image, optics, looking and sounding good. Saying the right words. and not much else It’s like a garbage truck painted green. No substance all image. Avoid Greenwash because it undermines the real good your company might be doing.
Green your Operations
Think about the people and buildings and activities your company engages in. Try to eliminate fossil fuels from that equation and you will make a positive change to fight climate change.
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Heat space & water with renewable electricity
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Cook with electricity, not gas
- Fuel vehicles with electricity, not gasoline or diesel.
- Support telecommuting for your staff
- Make your fleet vehicles electric
- Don’t provide a “gas allowance”
Make a commitment and Keep it
Commit to green actions that might seem out of reach at the moment. Sourcing your electricity from renewables by 2022, replacing your fleet with EVs by 2025, switching to sustainable suppliers etc. There are many commitments your company can make to be a force for good in fighting climate change and your customers can hear about it.
Green your Products
Definitely don’t sell things that cause customers to burn fossil fuels. Challenge your suppliers to lower their carbon footprint, reduce shipping distances, reduce reliance on petroleum in your products. Make your products recyclable, make them last, make them efficiently. Make them useful. If they are financial products make them free from fossil fuel companies.
Promote Green behaviour for your customers
Provide EV chargers in the good parking spots, don’t sell single-use plastic bags, support the use of refillable containers, provide recycling and compost receptacles.
Green your Suppliers
Use your business’s buying power to request that your suppliers green their business. From reducing packaging to offering greener products, to reducing shipping distance and making it free of fossil fuels. Your supply chain wants to keep your business. Use your voice to guide them to strategies that decarbonize.
Learn how to green your supply chain
Check your Bank
Customers and businesses alike don’t want their savings being used to cause global warming. Not all banks are equally green/evil etc… Check your bank then you can influence them or move your money. (they hate that 😉 )
Friendly Competition
Encourage your competitors to also fight climate change with you. Start an alliance. Share strategy. Green your industry.
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