“Green” is a trending adjective for a practice construction companies have been following for years. 在回收成为常态之前, construction companies were recycling construction and demolition (C&D)碎片，包括钢铁、沥青和混凝土. 作为一个与土地直接相关的产业, many have understood the importance of protecting it through sustainable practices.
虽然这些都是保护地球的重要做法, are you aware of the increasingly wide variety of ways sustainability efforts can boost your company’s value overall? 绿色实践有助于降低材料成本, increase employee retention and ultimately boost profitability as supply chain partners and customers see you as a company worth working with for reasons beyond the traditional requirements.
Here are three ways thinking more sustainably could help boost your bottom line.
更低的成本
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and wellbeing depends, 直接或间接, 关于我们的自然环境. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.
Many new construction projects are done on sites where removing old materials like pavement, 基金会, 砖和混凝土是工作的一部分. Recycling and reusing these materials on-site can provide significant savings.
Using recycled materials reduces the need to purchase virgin aggregates and the trucking costs associated with bringing them to the job site. 它还减少了运输的需要&D debris off-site, as well as the potential fees to put it in a landfill. Less fuel use as well as reduced wear and tear on trucks lowers repair and replacement costs for consumable items such as brakes and tires.
In some cases, old materials can’t be reused on-site and must be hauled off. 这些仍然具有重要的价值. That’s why numerous companies have set up recycling yards that accept C&将废物转化为新产品.
Recycling and reusing materials such as old pavement on-site reduces transportation costs, 潜在地增加利润和降低排放, 这对环境有益.
吸引并留住顶尖人才
员工流动率是昂贵的，估计相当于1.5 to 2 times an employee’s salary when you factor in advertising, 培训和生产力损失, according to the article “The True Costs of Employee Turnover” published by Built In. 虽然你可能没有考虑过, reducing your environmental impact could be key to lowering those workforce costs, 留住现有人才，吸引新员工, 尤其是年轻员工.
“There are numerous surveys that show that younger employees want to work for companies that demonstrate they are committed to sustainability,小松的凯利·克林顿说, 高级经理-公关, 企业社会责任与内容. “这包括在工作现场, as well as in the office through practices such as reducing paper, 水电使用情况. Prospective employees also want to know about your community involvement and how you’re giving back in ways that contribute to environmental improvements such as donating equipment, 花时间和精力在植树之类的项目上.”
Clinton added that it’s important for companies to highlight their sustainable practices in prominent ways so that they stand out to prospective employees.
“Having a section of your website dedicated to what you are doing to reduce your carbon footprint and water usage should seriously be considered,克林顿表示. “展示你努力的照片很有帮助. Icons such as the recycling symbol that show your commitment to green practices should be prominent on all your materials, 包括招聘项目, 公司宣传册和其他营销项目. 这是你品牌价值的重要组成部分, 只要它是你公司文化的一部分.”
Studies show today’s workforce takes corporate responsibility and sustainable business practices into account when choosing an employer. 在这张照片中, 小松 executives help plant trees for a corporate reforestation project in West Virginia. “Prospective employees want to know about your community involvement and how you’re giving back…,小松的凯利·克林顿说, 高级经理-公关, 企业社会责任与内容.
创造更多就业机会
Just like employees want to work for businesses committed to sustainability, other companies want to work with those who emphasize greener business practices. In many cases, companies or governments are making it a requirement to work on their projects.
“Companies that advance their approach to sustainability now can get the benefit of doing it for the right reasons, 走在潮流的前沿, 并在各自的行业中起到引领作用,克林顿强调说. “If you wait until it’s required and have to submit a report to a customer or another contractor you want to work with — and only then realize you don’t have all the requirements — you may be at a disadvantage in the near future.”
入门技巧
Clinton said measuring your sustainability is going to be increasingly more essential, 做到这一点从未如此容易.
“There are many companies with software that help track practically everything you do related to sustainable practices,克林顿指出. “现在, 这基本上是一个“有就好”的水平, but as more and more requirements are built into regulatory aspects of how companies have to do business, 这将是必不可少的. Those who don’t have those metrics are probably going to miss most, if not all, opportunities. 这样做的企业可能会获得更多的就业机会.”
