Getting the green pound

You may think that buying decisions are never based on ‘green’
matters – especially in a recession, when price is often considered a
much more persuasive factor – but in fact this isn’t quite accurate, at
least, not any more. True enough, few customers will buy on this alone,
but as the green agenda is gaining prominence, a company’s
eco-credentials are becoming increasingly important.

In some sectors, this is thanks to government legislation. For
example, new Building Regulations have ensured that construction
companies and developers have had to specify more energy-efficient
heating systems and better insulation, while the Carbon Reduction
Commitment has encouraged certain heavier industries to improve
efficiency. The knock-on effect is to generally raise the profile of
eco-friendly practices, and as a result, more and more business decision
makers take note of environmental credentials – indeed, these days if
you want to tender to the public sector, you’ll need to provide detailed
evidence proving them.

If you’ve already taken action to green your business, then make sure
it’s obvious in your communications with existing and potential
customers. Do you always print on recycled paper? Make sure you
highlight this on every document. Have you won awards for your
eco-friendly practices? Then flag this up in a prominent place on your
website (and if you haven’t won, consider entering such awards).

The ultimate in best environmental practice accreditation is the
ISO14001, which is designed to strike a delicate balance between
maintaining profitability and reducing environmental impact. Intended
for businesses large and small, across all sectors, this standard will
show you how to measure consumption and reduce waste, reducing costs in
both environmental and financial terms – and it’s often a key
requirement for large organizations putting projects out for tender. To
find out more, visit http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_14000_essentials – the
website of the International Organization for Standardization.