From Guest Blogger Lauren Williamson: Five Common Misconceptions About Business Sustainability

GE Ecomagination Launch Europe Munich June 29, 2005
Press Conference: JEFF IMMELT
Photo: Reto Zimpel

There’s a lot of noise in the world right now when there is chatter about sustainability and how it affects businesses. On one side, there are those that have the misconception that sustainability efforts are irrelevant and counterproductive for businesses that are serious about generating growth and profits. On the other side, there are advocates that have the passion and the drive to see sustainable activities and initiatives implemented in organisations but struggle to seamlessly integrate it into the operations of an organisation.There are several misconceptions that prevent the advancement of sustainability in business. We want to address 5 of these misconceptions in the hope that stakeholders and influencers in business can change both their views and approach when it comes to sustainability in business.

Stakeholders claim that they have no idea where to start.

This is a fair claim. But every opportunity in business started from an idea, and the implementation of that idea stemmed from the organization’s willingness to be creative. If organisations want to have a better idea of where to start their sustainability efforts, they can refer to the following resources.

• UN Sustainability goals
• Marks & Spencer implementation of sustainable operations.

They think that their organisation won’t be able to make a difference.

The sum of all parts contributes to the whole objective when it comes to sustainability.

One small organisation’s sustainability efforts have a multiplier effect over the future years to come. If this same approach is taken by several hundred or even thousands of small to medium sized businesses, then a real difference can be made.

For example, an organisation can make the environmentally-friendly switch from incandescent light bulbs to LED lights, saving up to 60% in energy consumption and potentially minimising carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Additionally, implementing a recycling process that ensures the correct disposal of ink cartridges will minimise the threat of used ink cartridges ending up in landfill sites.

Going green is an expensive cost that their business cannot afford.

Businesses will have different budgets and resources that they can allocate in order to reach their sustainability objectives. There are things that the organisation can do for free, for a small cost and for a significant cost. It’s up to the stakeholders to identify the areas they can invest in and to seek out options for other sustainability efforts over the long-term.

For example, implementing a recycling or reuse process in the organisation can help minimise the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. The cost will be time and training, but it will allow the organisation to achieve one area of its sustainability efforts.

Businesses cannot make money by investing in sustainable initiatives.

This is a common fear that many business owners have. Their bottom line is to make a profit and investing in sustainable infrastructure or activities that don’t turn a profit makes it hard for them to justify the cost.

By going green, it is definitely possible for an organisation to save money. For example:

Reducing water wastage can cut down on the business’s water consumption costs.

• Investing in energy-efficient technology can help the organisation cut down on electrical consumption costs.
• Minimising waste by promoting a minimalistic culture within the organisation can contribute towards increased productivity.  
• Implementing a “recycle and reuse” program within the business can minimise the repurchase of stock and stationery, saving the business hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year.
• Encouraging staff within the organisation to use digital platforms such as cloud storage, online collaboration and digital presentation technology to minimise printing. This will also have a bigger impact on the organisation’s printing costs.
• Investing in eco-friendly work spaces that make better use of natural light will cut down lighting costs, as well as stimulate productivity among employees.

It requires a lot of human resources.

This depends on the sustainable activity that’s being implemented. Simple activities such as implementing a recycling process won’t require many resources. However, implementing a process that involves customer action might require more resources.

The other thing is the organisation doesn’t have to do everything themselves.They can partner with suppliers or external organisations that have processes in place to manage certain sustainability activities.

Sustainability for businesses shouldn’t be ignored or dismissed. The misconceptions are valid, however, there are valid approaches that will allow businesses to thrive when implementing sustainable initiatives.