Twenty years ago, if a company truly wanted to go green and show off its environmentally conscious creds, it meant a massive financial investment too.

But these days, it’s a lot easier and a lot less financially draining to make your company as green as it can be. There are plenty of green options for pretty much any product you can think of, from light bulbs to vehicles.

Here are a few ideas to help you ‘greenify’ your business and do your bit to help ensure that we pass on a healthier planet to our children.

The first thing to do is to make sure that you and your employees are all on the same page. It’s not just about having a green message to put on your email signature, it’s about a way of life – or work. It’s about thinking of the green option every time. If your people want to rally behind environmental approach to their work, it creates a common bond and helps to unify their approach. Each department can consider what steps they could take to contribute to the company’s overall ambition.

Office lighting – Not only a big drain on the grid, but also your your bank balance.  Not everyone is in a position to have solar panels fitted so it is worth upgrading a few of the more lit areas of your office with LED bulbs.  Granted, these bulbs are a more expensive alternative but changing out a few at a time will help. Prioritise which areas of the office would benefit the most. LEDs use a lot less energy, mercury and other toxic gases contained by incandescent and fluorescent lights. They will also last about five times longer than other bulbs.

Water Supply - Add a water filter to your supply. It will cut down the need for plastic, transport miles and deliver fresh, clean water seamlessly for all employees.

Supplier Choice - Consider working with suppliers and vendors that have green credentials themselves. You can bask in their glory, knowing you made the best choice for your company and the planet. And don’t be afraid to do some research to see how long the company has done good things for the environment.

Support - Work with an environmental charity. Good causes need all sorts of help to raise money, so consider trading some services with them or holding a fundraising event to get your employees engaged and spread awareness.

Recycling - Get your employees recycling. The first step is to take employees’ desk bins away and create ‘recycling hubs’ around the office to ensure employees are putting the recycling in the correct bin. Then you can start measuring the amount of recycling you are generating with the aim of increasing recycling rates.

Alternative Products - Just ‘cos you’re green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice clean. Most cleaning products, sanitisers, washing up liquid etc have green alternatives, so it’s worth seeing if you can replace them over time. Look for very specific claims on the packaging too. For example, something that says “all-natural” or “eco-friendly” doesn’t carry as much weight as a label that reads, “Made with 100% natural, organic and fair-trade ingredients” or, “Manufactured at a plant that has an ongoing plan to reduce carbon emissions through a certified environmental management system such as ISO 14001.”

What We Do - At Commercial Creative, we put the three pillars of sustainability (the environment, society and the economy) at the heart of our business and that’s not easy in our industry! Over 25 years we have been on an amazing journey and are now a zero waste to landfill and zero carbon operation.

See if you can spot us as a corporate sustainability case study alongside M&S and E&Y here: http://bit.ly/1XM1Gve

When you choose to work with us, you can be safe in the knowledge that endangered species have not been harmed by our work, and products have been locally sourced.  These are just two of the reasons why we are consistently voted as one of the greenest companies to partner with.

Whether you choose us for our transparent approach to print management, our environmentally alternative office supplies, or our free recycling services you will find that every step has been taken to care for our planet as much as we care about you.