Many businesses today are making the commitment to go green. But these companies aren’t losing anything through their green initiatives, they are actually rethinking the way they do business. Making the switch to a sustainable, green company makes way for new opportunities and innovation that allow a business to flourish. Environmental initiatives make way for new products and new ways of marketing. By reducing energy and water use, companies can actually save money and use it towards something more productive for their company. Companies that go green are now attracting a new audience, one that places importance on sustainability and acknowledges companies’ efforts to reduce their impact on the environment. Without further ado, here are some top companies that are going green:
Burt’s Bees: Their packaging is recyclable and is designed to have the smallest impact on the environment. In 2010 they met their goal of sending no waste to the landfills.
- Sony: Sony has set the goal of zero waste by 2050. They are also developing more energy efficient products. Sony also supports other environmental organizations like the World Wildlife Fund!
- Staples: Staples measures and tracks their progress when it comes to their sustainability goals. In 2010 they recycled more than 63 million ink and toner cartridges. As their website puts it, “our vision is to generate business and environmental benefits — for ourselves, our customers and our communities — by leading the way in sustainable business practices.”
- HP: Between 2005 and 2011, HP reduced their energy consumption in half. Their goal is to conserve more than they consume by working to reduce energy and water consumption, paper use, GHG emissions, and waste.
- KKR: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts started the KKR Green Portfolio Program in 2008. They believe that improved environmental performance leads to increased business performance. KKR helps companies with their green initiatives, giving them ways to measure and track their environmental impacts so that they can be more efficient, productive, and reduce costs and has doubled their efforts in the current market. As Henry Kravis and George Roberts stated in their ESG report, “most important work can occur during tough and volatile times.”
- Dell: Dell is not only working to minimize their impact on the environment, but they are also helping their customers reduce the impact of their IT. Dell also provides businesses and consumers a way to recycle their technology, keeping them out of landfills.
- Patagonia: Patagonia began a Common Threads Initiative that focuses on the five R’s: Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle, and Reimagine. Patagonia will help you repair your Patagonia gear, help find a new home for your gear, and will take back your worn out gear to be recycled.