Executive's Guide to Minimizing Carbon Footprint: Aligning EHS with Corporate Social Responsibility

When organizations make new efforts to be environmentally responsible, it benefits everyone. It’s great for people and the planet since a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions makes the planet a safer place to live. In addition, companies can often significantly reduce costs at facilities, as energy-efficient solutions usually result in lower and more predictable expenses for electricity, heating and cooling, and more.

If this isn’t a good enough reason to move forward, you should be aware that regulators are becoming more interested than ever in environmental standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has updated its regulatory agenda to prioritize the control and measurement of greenhouse gas emissions. Other agencies across the world are doing the same, which makes it essential for organizations to monitor their carbon footprints.

When businesses are proactive about this process, they help position themselves as leaders. This makes them more appealing to customers and better prepared to make further changes as needed when regulations inevitably evolve. One of the best ways to minimize your carbon footprint is by making it part of your environmental, health, and safety (EHS) agenda, which we’ll delve into in this article.

Benefits of Managing Your Carbon Footprint

Sustainability matters more today than it ever has before. Evidence indicates that spending money on sustainability is well worth the investment. Here are a few of the benefits of incorporating carbon footprint management at facilities around the world:

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• Lower operating costs – Optimizing your business lets you save money. Environmentally friendly practices like reducing waste or cutting back on energy use are excellent cost-cutting options.

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• Create happier customers – Consumers want to do business with companies that provide sustainable services and products. They believe companies should do their part to protect the environment and are more likely to buy from ethical brands.

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• Keep up with regulations – With nearly 2,000 policies and laws related to climate, compliance should be a priority. Managing your carbon footprint puts you on a path to meeting any regulations to come in the future.

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• Fuel innovation – For many applications, doing things the same way can stunt the growth of organizations. New sustainability practices have provided the catalyst for innovative solutions across a company.

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• Impress investors – Investors are concerned about carbon footprint management and will scrutinize your sustainability practices. Being committed to the environment is key to growing your business and moving forward.

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How EHS Connects with Carbon Footprint

EHS has been traditionally focused on eliminating and mitigating the negative impacts of business activities, such as pollution control and hazardous waste disposal. However, over the last few years, professionals have started to take a more active role in reducing environmental footprints and promoting sustainability in their organizations.

You can look at the adoption of renewable energy sources to see where progress has been made. Many EHS leaders have been exploring using wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources to power businesses. This can help cut carbon emissions while also offering energy efficiency and cost savings.

Recycling and waste reduction is another area where change is happening. EHS experts have started to use circular economy principles where the goal is to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste. This might look like implementing manufacturing systems that reuse materials or reducing packaging waste.

The growing adoption of technology is also a method to promote sustainability. Professionals have started to use machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and big data to find and reduce environmental impacts. As an example, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors can be used to optimize efficiency and monitor energy usage, which lets workers prevent and anticipate incidents before they occur.

The EHS industry as a whole is leading the charge in terms of reducing the environmental impact of organizations and promoting sustainable practices. Creating a culture of sustainability, leveraging technology, promoting recycling and waste reduction, and adopting renewable energy are driving a shift toward a future that is much more sustainable.

As environmental challenges continue to crop up, EHS teams are proving that environmental stewardship and economic growth can be balanced.

Conclusion

Sustainability is often a key goal for companies today, regardless of industry or size. While a small bakery and a huge oil refinery need to take different approaches to the solution, some aspects of corporate social responsibility remain the same. Avoiding the use of harsh chemicals and preventing the waste of energy and water are only a few examples.

In some industries, being fully sustainable might seem impossible. However, reducing your carbon footprint should be very high on your EHS compliance agenda. Understanding the issue and putting solutions in place across the workplace is the best way to succeed. Aligning EHS with your new initiatives can help you succeed in cutting your carbon footprint and making your business more sustainable.