With global efforts to raise awareness about climate change on the rise, more and more consumers are checking the eco credentials of the companies that they buy from. It’s no longer enough for companies to simply reduce their packaging, although this helps. Instead, consumers are digging deeper, pushing companies to truly revamp their ways of working. In some places, legislation is also getting involved, as governments try to move towards net-zero in order to uphold their climate agreements.
There are some amazing innovations out there, and especially for companies with large budgets and teams, there is a great opportunity to lead by example, and make a big difference. But no matter what size the company is, there’s nearly always a lesson that can be applied to any size of business. Here, we take a look at how companies are utilising the latest sustainable technology.
Green energy
With solar panels and wind power readily available, they offer the perfect solution for larger companies who need to generate a lot of energy, such as tech companies. The internet might not be the first thing you think about when it comes to carbon emissions, but everything we do online adds up. Especially for big tech companies like Google, keeping the search engine going requires a vast amount of power.
Google managed to get themselves to switch to 100% renewable energy in 2017, using solar and wind power. They’ve also audited their data servers, making them 50% more efficient, meaning that their energy usage is reduced overall.
Supply chain management
One of the benefits of supply chain technology is that it has the capability to manage processes down to the smallest detail, and can provide complex reports that would be incredibly time-consuming for humans. When it comes to reducing your carbon footprint, details matter, and making cuts where you can will make a larger difference overall.
For example, Henkel uses a system that gives them real-time information about their energy and water usage in their factories. This same system has been further developed to give them an overall view of their supply chain and transportation analytics.
Samsung is another company that is striving to create eco-conscious work sites. They estimate that improving the efficiency of their processes accounts for 9% of their total GHG reduction, and expanding their renewable energy use has contributed 36% to their overall GHG reduction.
Reuse and recycle
Reusing and recycling are an established part of leading a sustainable lifestyle, and it’s no different for businesses. Modern technology uses a lot of parts that are made from limited resources, so reusing and recycling is essential in order to meet demand, without pulling the planet apart for resources.
In order to combat this, companies like Dell are aiming to reuse or recycle an equivalent item for every product they sell. They have also created ‘Concept Luna’, which aims to design products that can easily be repaired or have components that can be swapped out and reused, to cut down on waste and support a circular economy. This goes beyond specialist parts too, as they use universal screws that mean that the customer doesn’t need to have specialist tools to complete the repair.
Non-specific tech recycling schemes are also aiming to make it easier for people to dispose of their old electronics, rather than just leaving them in a box at home, so that they can make use of the metals and parts inside.
About the Author
Jessica Downey is a full-time writer who writes topics relating to business, marketing, and technology. She’s a technology enthusiast and loves to take the time to understand new tech trends and innovations before imparting her knowledge to readers. When she’s not writing, she likes to spend time camping and hiking
