With such an influx of startups in 2021 alone, it is no surprise that this year sees many of these new businesses looking for ways they can stand out from the crowd and make a difference. One strategy that has supported the success of many businesses over the long term has been focusing company efforts on the planet and green initiatives. 

So, if you find yourself in the startup boom and you want to make a real difference in your industry, this article is for you. We will be sharing how you can reduce your carbon footprint and see your startup succeed in an increasingly green focused world. 

Calculate your carbon footprint 

Of course, the first step in reducing your carbon footprint comes with understanding what the carbon footprint of your business currently is. When you know this, you have a benchmark to start from and can measure your efforts against this. 

If you want to calculate the carbon footprint of your startup, The Federation of Small Businesses provides a helpful guide that talks you through the process. Taking the time to calculate the carbon footprint of your small business is an essential first step and will ensure your efforts from here on out are productive and impactful.

Recycle 

We have all heard the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle. But what if you actually put those words into action? Recycling in your workplace is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Offices create a huge amount of waste, from food containers to plastic cups and paper. When you recycle, you are reducing the number of items that ultimately end up in landfill. 

According to Gov.uk, you must “keep waste to a minimum by doing everything you reasonably can to prevent, reuse, recycle or recover waste (in that order).” Introducing recycling collections in your workplace helps achieve this and is a great way to nurture a greener work culture. 

Educate your teams 

Education plays a vital role in our understanding of the world around us. If it weren’t for client activists and scientists educating the public on their findings and the importance of taking action now, we might not have such a broad understanding of the climate crisis threatening our planet. 

Feeling motivated as a business owner to take positive steps towards a greener planet is important. However, you won’t get very far without the support of your team. This is why it’s so important to educate your teams on environmentalism, the new systems you’re introducing, and the importance of working together towards a common goal. 

According to Countrystyle Recycling, “Education is key to effective and sustainable management of resources” and this is applicable to both the workplace and home. By taking the time to educate your team on carbon footprint reduction and green initiatives, you won’t just drive positive change in the workplace - you could also be driving positive change in their personal lives. 

Invest in green web hosting 

For years, the internet has been considered a more sustainable option than using pen and paper. Online, work can be completed, files can be stored or deleted, and contact can be made with clients. There is no physical paper trail and seemingly no environmental impact. 

At least that’s what everyone thought. According to Website Carbon, “the internet consumes a lot of electricity. 416.2TWh per year to be precise. To give you some perspective, that’s more than the entire United Kingdom.” 

This high energy consumption helps run the huge data centres - found all over the world - with servers and drives that generate large amounts of heat. Fans are required to help reduce heat output and keep the centres cool. Such a large amount of electricity consumption is having a significant impact on our environment. 

As such, many business owners are investing in green web hosting to help reduce their carbon footprint and keep their efforts - both online and offline - environmentally focused. Green web hosting works by offsetting the energy used by your website so that your company can be carbon neutral or perhaps even carbon negative. 

Source sustainable suppliers 

If you are doing everything you can to reduce your startup's carbon footprint, you need to consider sourcing sustainable suppliers. Whether it’s for your paper needs, products to sell to your customers, office supplies, catering, or something else entirely, sourcing sustainable suppliers can help extend your green efforts to be bigger than just your business. 

Sometimes it can be difficult to confirm which companies really are doing their bit for the environment. Sadly, there is a lot of greenwashing. However, a good certification to look out for is ISO 14001. This certification proves that an organisation is actively working to protect the environment through strategies such as waste reduction and resource efficiency. 

Supporting sustainable suppliers is a great way to broaden your green efforts and develop a network of like minded businesses. 

Final words 

As you can see, there are numerous ways to reduce your carbon footprint as a startup - this article has barely touched the tip of the iceberg. However, we hope the tips we’ve shared will help you introduce green initiatives into your workplace and drive positive change for both your employees and your business for the years to come. 

Daniel Groves achieved a 1st class honours degree in Business Economics. Since graduating, Daniel has collaborated with a number of online publications to further develop his knowledge and share his experience with like-minded entrepreneurs, business owners and growth strategists.