How businesses can reduce carbon footprints

Why should businesses reduce their carbon footprint?

Smart businesses, and ones that want long-term success, recognise action on climate change is essential. And by acting now, you can future-proof your organisation and look forward to:

• Higher revenue.
• Cost reductions.
• More engagement with stakeholders.
• Fewer risks.
• Higher customer engagement.

Climate change affects us all. Making your business environmentally friendly isn’t only the responsible thing to do, it’ll also benefit your business.

Market research shows consumers are 58% more likely to deal with businesses who have an eco-friendly policy. Why? A low carbon footprint is a reflection of efficient business management! And it’s good business practice to make sure you’re set up for the future.

Going green doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. And in this special feature we’ll take you through how to:

• Optimise your fleet to go green and save money.
• Use fleet telematics systems and devices to make you ultra-efficient.
• Get setup with fuel cards to maximise you fuel efficiency.
• Take the big step and get yourself some electric vehicles (EVs).

We can all make a difference. And by knowing what steps you can take, you can set your organisation on the right path today.

How businesses can reduce carbon footprint—a fast-track to going green

The ways businesses can reduce carbon footprints are many and varied!

From using eco-friendly driving tactics to using top-quality telematics tech, every little updates makes a difference. Here’s a look at some affordable and beneficial techniques.

Electric vehicles will transform your green agenda

Okay, EVs are expensive. We know that. And some businesses just won’t have the budget to fund a full fleet of electric cars and vans.

However, it’s such an essential step in your business going green. While synthetic fuels are touted as a game changer, the reality is that’s all decades off from getting anywhere. Meanwhile, EVs are available. They’re green. And they’ll save your business money in the long-term.

The good news is you can rely on electric vehicle hire for businesses to make EVs affordable, all while enjoying the many benefits of running these fancy new cars or vans. As the green credentials of EVs are impressive. They:

• Produce ZERO tailpipe emissions.
• And that makes them ideal for businesses in London looking to avoid the capital’s ULEZ and CAZ zone charges.
• Have battery production that’s getting cleaner.
• Use eco-friendly materials in construction.
• Are almost certainly the future of transport (at least for the foreseeable decades ahead).

Don’t forget, the UK government has a net zero initiative set for 2030.

That’ll see the end of selling diesel and petrol vehicles. It’s a big change and one your business should start preparing for now.

The sooner you make the switch, the better placed you’ll be to take full advantage of these green machines. And for now, vehicle hire is likely your best option. You can arrange flexible or long-term hire to go green and make a bold eco statement.

EV charging points make your business ultra-efficient

If you want to make a brilliant eco-friendly gesture, then one of the best things your business can do is get setup with EV charging points.

These are brilliant for your customers, clients and employees. Imagine them turning up at your premises, or driving back home, and they’re all decked out with a personal EV charger? It’s a real perk and a sign your business is taking its green credentials seriously.

There are three types of charging points:

• From home: Okay, home charging is for employees looking to install a home-based charge point. The benefits are for staff who can charge at home, with total convenience, before driving into work the next day. A great perk!
• From work: If you want workplace charging for staff and clients then this is a choice that opens up charging opportunities for clients and employees. It’s a great choice if you want to offer a massive perk for EV users arriving at your headquarters.
• Commercial purposes: With commercial charging for your customers or the public, at a charge, so you can earn extra revenue. All while supporting the EV cause.

Charge points and quick to install and prove your business is tackling the climate crisis by promoting the use of EVs.

Electric vehicles still aren’t widely in use. But by taking this step, and supporting employees, clients and customers who’ve made the transition, you’ll be ahead of the green curve.

Use telematics to maximise your fleet’s efficiency

This is often missed by businesses, but you can use a high-tech telematics system to tackle the climate crisis. You can use them to get the types of data that sharpen up your operation, reduce wastage and make your business more efficient.

With the data you get from monitoring your fleet, you can:

• Get extra insights into your drivers’ behaviour, which can help promote safe and eco-friendly driving tactics.
• Optimise your routes to master the most climate-friendly journeys you can take.
• Understand the best times to travel to avoid getting stuck in traffic jams.
• Monitor vehicle health to keep on top of repairs that may make your fleet more damaging to the environment.

All you need is one system for an entire fleet. And the green credentials are through the roof, letting you work smarter with much less of the effort.

Every fleet should have a telematics system. Alongside the green benefits, they’ll make you more productive and save your business money in the long-term.

Five eco-driving techniques for your business

How businesses can reduce carbon footprint is in the finer details. And one step businesses miss is with how their fleet operates.

You can fully optimise your fleet and fuel management with an overhaul of your fleet’s driving style.

Put your green agenda at the front of your daily routine with these five techniques to sharpen up your eco-driving standards.

1. Use telematics for route optimisation

Taking the shortest route between two points not only saves time, but also reduces fuel use and emissions. It also means less money spent on fuel.

How do you do that? Well, we told you above. Telematics systems! Use the data you gather in your account to find the optimal routes. Effective route planning:

• Maximises your business vehicle usage.
• Improves productivity.
• Removes the need to add more vehicles to meet increasing demand.

Ensures the nearest vehicle is dispatched for a job, meaning no long waits for your client or customers (and less time on the road for your drivers).

Telematics gives you a bird’s eye view of your fleet, making it quick and easy to manage all your drivers. And that’ll keep your green agenda on the straight and narrow.

2. Drive smarter for big rewards

Your drivers have an important role to play in minimising fuel usage and reducing your business’s carbon footprint. Driver styles bad for the environment include:

• Aggressive driving.
• Harsh braking.
• Speeding.
• Leaving the engine ticking over.

Fitting your vehicles with a telematics system lets you keep track of driver behaviour. You can then warn anyone who’s misbehaving out on the roads.

The use of eco-driving techniques cuts down fuel consumption—it’s safer for your drivers. Check out our guide to bad driving habits to avoid to keep your fleet on the right path.

3. Keep track of your fuel consumption

Wasting fuel, such as a driver sitting about with his engine ticking over, is a real problem. It costs your business money and adds to the CO2 crisis.

To sharpen up this side of your fleet, business telematics systems let you collect essential data on:

• Fuel usage per driver.
• Distance travelled.
• The routes your drivers take.
• Fuel wasting driving styles.
• Vehicle issues that need repairs.

That’s the type of data insights you can get! By monitoring all of it you can spot problem areas, address them and lower your fuel consumption in the long-term.

We’ve also got a few more fuel saving tips for businesses if you want to learn more.

4. Stay on top of vehicle maintenance

Scheduling regular maintenance for your business vehicles ensures clean and efficient running of engines. Even performing basic checks such as maintaining proper tyre pressure can improve fuel economy!

The wrong tyre pressure also increases wear and tear, meaning replacement tyres are required more frequently. You can also look to:

• Replace oil and fuel filters when you need to.
• Replace worm spark plugs.
• Use top-quality fuel in your engines (look for a manufacturer’s recommendation to meet these expectations).

By having regular inspections and maintenance, studies show your business could reduce the CO2 emissions of your vehicles by 35%.

5. Cut out unnecessary journeys

Cutting out unnecessary journeys your company makes is simple, but effective. You might think every journey is essential. But is it, really? Ask yourself a few questions:

Do you need to drive to a client’s office to have a meeting?

When you’re hiring for a new role, do candidates really have to journey from across the country to see you? Or would a Zoom call be fine?

Do all your employees need to come into your office every day?

No, of course not, and you can cut out a lot of pointless travelling by embracing modern technology and policies such as remote working.

The business benefits of reducing carbon footprint

There are so many business benefits of reducing carbon footprint, it’d be daft to ignore the opportunity you have. From great PR to money-saving techniques and future-proofing tactics, it’s a must for any employer.

Even if you’re a climate change sceptic, ignoring an eco-friendly approach isn’t good for business. It’ll damage your image amongst many customers and clients! Here’s why it’s time to go green.

• Future-proof your brand: Show the world you care about the future. Take significant steps to reduce your carbon footprint and you’ll improve your brand’s local, national and global reputation.
• Enhance your brand: Get great PR for your efforts! Employees and job candidates love businesses that are making a climate statement. As will customers, who look for organisations that care.
• Increase competitive advantage: A lot of eco-friendly products, software and vehicles will provide your business with an advantage over competitors. Take the leap to gain more space in your market.
• Higher productivity at lower costs: The likes of telematics make your work smarter, not harder. And at a lower cost than previously.
• Improve financial and investment opportunities: Future-proof your brand to look like a sound, viable investment opportunity for stakeholders and clients.
• Improve energy efficiency: Save money and become more efficient with eco-friendly devices and vehicles.

It’s what you make of it that counts. And if you put the effort in to go green, then the rewards are there for the taking.

More tips for going green in and around the office

Your business’ commitment to the environment doesn’t end when everyone goes home for the day. There are many steps you and your employees can take to reduce CO2.

If you want your business to take the lead in making the planet greener, cleaner, and healthier then you should seek to reduce your carbon footprint in the following ways:

Food choices: Got an on-site café? Go for locally sourced food. The further the distance your food comes from, the greater its transportation needs. That damages the environment. By going local, you support your eco push and the local economy.

• Get a renewable energy provider: At the office, your biggest source of CO2 emissions is from the energy you use for your gas and electricity. You can reduce the carbon footprint your home makes by using a renewable provider, such as in wind, solar and tidal energy.
• Get energy efficient: Get energy-efficient lightbulbs, don’t leave devices on standby overnight, go paperless and stop needlessly printing documents. They’re all little steps, but they add up to a bigger whole.
• Promote remote working: WFH is very popular with many employees and increases productivity. And it’s also great for the environment. It means fewer people on the roads and less gas-guzzling vehicles on their way to work.
• Limit air travel: By taking fewer business flights, you’re doing the environment a massive favour. Flying is glamorous but, unfortunately, very bad for the environment. Instead, look to travel by other methods, including car, train or boat.
• Overhaul your recruitment strategy: The days of expecting candidates to travel 100 miles for a first-stage interview are gone. Hosting interviews across Skype or Zoom is usually more than enough. Especially if you have WFH employees.
• Promote a car share scheme: For employees coming into the office, why note promote a car share scheme? It’s easy to set up, implement and for everyone to take advantage of.
• Promote a cycle to work scheme: Promote a cycling scheme to encourage staff to get on their bikes! It’ll keep them fit, all while encouraging an eco-friendly initiative.

The sky’s the limit here. Use your imagination to overhaul your business’ approach to working life.

The result? Saved money. Better PR. Happier employees. Higher productivity. And you’re doing the world a whole lot of good.