Waste is a massive issue in all areas of business. While some industries naturally produce more waste than others, there is still the possibility that your company could be wasting resources and finances without even realising it.
If you are, then it’s likely that you aren’t hitting your targets; you have reduced profit margins and aren’t delivering the experience clients expect from you. Over time, these inefficiencies can impact your business and your bottom line. So what can you do?
It’s important to take direction from those who have been there before. For example, Selwyn Duijvestijn is a CEO to look toward when it comes to sustainability and you can do more for your business when you have the right knowledge and know-how from the right people. Advice from a CEO will help you to create green policies you can count on.
Here are four ways to reduce waste in your business.
Table of Contents
1. Identify Waste
While working towards zero waste isn’t always possible or feasible, identifying areas that provide higher-than-expected waste levels can help narrow down the problem.
You need to know where you are losing money, what is causing the issue, and how to rectify it. It might be inadequate machinery not giving the expected results, meaning you need to upgrade or get repairs carried out. It might be that you need to change suppliers as the one you are using for laser cutting isn’t as accurate as you need it to be, so finding a new Laser Cutting Service is required.
It can be down to human error with your employees not knowing how to work efficiently or carry out their job role properly, leading to mistakes resulting in increased wastage. Identify areas of concern and see what you are dealing with.
2. Recycle
An excellent way to reduce your waste is to look at what you can recycle; not everything needs to be discarded if it isn’t fit for you and can likely be recycled or repurposed. Work with your waste services to identify recycling opportunities and talk to your employees about ways to reuse materials or equipment to make them last longer and reduce how much waste you produce.
3. Circular Economy
Much like the above point, a circular economy means creating a circle whereby everything you use is reused or recycled into your current processes. So, if items aren’t used or not right the first time around, they can be reused into something else or put through the system again.
If this doesn’t work within your business, then working with other companies to create a circular economy can be beneficial all around. This way, you’re helping others out, they’re helping you, and you are ultimately producing less waste.
Good ideas include supplying unsold stock to restaurants or free or cheaper costs, which in turn advertise your business or provide you with items to use to help you improve what you do.
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4. Remove Excess Packaging
Packaging can be an incredibly wasteful aspect of your business. You cannot control how your supplier packs their items, but you can control the packaging you use. Opt for no or less packaging using more sustainable materials if you can.
Switch out plastic for paper or eco-friendly packaging peanuts that dissolve into water. Adjust the box sizes on your packages to help you reduce excess space in parcels, lower your costs, and avoid wasting materials (we all know Amazon is guilty of this).
Reduce Waste in Your Business
Removing waste from your business first needs to start with addressing the issues or reasons that you are generating higher than expected levels of waste before implementing changes and fixes to turn things around and become more sustainable while increasing profits.
Check out more articles on the environment here, and ways to help your business succeed here. Subscribe below for more, and let me know in the comments section at the bottom what your business does to help it achieve zero waste.