Environment and sustainability: the role of companies

This is a topic that is already much talked about these days – sustainability. In addition to its economic advantages, thinking and acting in a more sustainable way contributes to environmental preservation and caring for future generations of the planet.

Sustainability in companies is one of the most significant vectors of this practice, given the large number of commercial and industrial establishments, and the fact that much of the pollution that causes the greenhouse effect and the actions that harm the ecosystem are the result of companies’ production processes.

In this sense, corporate sustainability involves a set of administrative processes in favor of preserving the environment and a more functional management, while also promoting its own economic growth and quality of life for employees.

So, since this is a topic that is increasingly being discussed, I decided to talk about the importance of ecological thinking in the company and how to implement small sustainable practices in the corporate environment.

The concept of sustainability involves much more than looking after the environment. It goes beyond the preservation of fauna and flora, it is necessary to take social justice into consideration, involving commitments related to ethics, gender diversity, eliminating prejudice, caring for the community and much more. Everything that contributes to sustainable development will not be destructive to nature or the community.

Corporate sustainability is a set of actions that a company takes to respect the environment and the sustainable development of society. For a company to be considered environmentally and socially sustainable, it must adopt ethical attitudes and practices aimed at economic growth, without harming the environment and also collaborating in the development of society.

Investing in sustainability in companies means taking care of our ecosystems and taking an advanced view of business, which contributes to brand enhancement and encourages more optimistic and supportive thinking.

In recent years, people have become increasingly aware of their consumption habits and everything that involves sustainability, and have come to value companies that work sustainably and invest in environmentally friendly products.

Although there is still some doubt and some thought that a sustainable model is more expensive, the opposite is true. Some advantages of these actions for business management:

Improved brand image with consumers and the community;

Saving on production costs by reusing resources;

Preservation of the planet’s environmental conditions with a view to the future of the next generations;

High satisfaction among the company’s employees, partners and suppliers for acting in an ecologically correct manner.

Some examples of sustainable practices in companies:

• Waste management;
• Recycling;
• Reuse of leftover raw materials;
• Investment in social responsibility actions;
• Use of water treatment and reuse systems;
• Rational and conscious use of water and electricity;
• Elimination of the use of disposable cups and other types of disposable materials;
• Adoption of cleaner production processes and energy sources;
• Manufacturing more durable products;
• Setting targets for reducing carbon emissions;
• Use of recyclable materials for product packaging;
• Use of recyclable bags (in the case of supermarket purchases);
• Not using forms of discrimination (race, color, religion, sexual option) in employee selection processes. Use of fair forms, respecting the principles of equal rights in the selection process;
• Respecting the country’s labor laws, paying fairly and guaranteeing all workers’ rights;
• Use of production practices that guarantee the total safety of workers in the workplace;
• Producing goods and providing services that do not put the health and physical or psychological safety of consumers at risk;
• Use of contracts with consumers and other companies that are clear, objective and fair;
• Not disposing of sewage or chemical waste in streams, the sea, lagoons or beaches;
• Do not pollute the soil with chemical products or any other polluting material;
• Under no circumstances use child, forced or slave labor;
• Providing an efficient customer service system;
• Properly informing consumers about the characteristics of the products they sell or the services they provide. It is important that the company informs its consumers about the disposal of packaging, expired products or products that will no longer be used for any other reason.

If you liked the article and would like to know more, you can consult the “Good Practice Guide – Business and Sustainability” at this link https://www.cm-arganil.pt/agenda21local/docs/Projecto/Guia%20Boas%20Praticas_Empresas.pdf