Tips for Sustainability from a Sustainable Company

One of the things that Seament is most well-known for, aside from the fact that it is the first company to create and use a floating terminal, is the fact that it's extremely sustainable. Alex Bouri, the founder, has always made sustainability a huge priority for the company, and he and his sons, Charles, Maurice, and Mark Bouri, are all members of other organizations that promote environmental consciousness and sustainability. If you're running a business and want to be greener, take these tips from them.

Measure, Measure, Measure

You can't know how well (or how poorly) your company is doing unless you have a clear picture through measurements. Whether you outsource the job or do it yourself, you need to define and quantify the areas in which you'd like to improve, set a numerical goal, and measure those areas on a regular basis to ensure you're heading toward that goal. This is the only way to know if your environmental plans are working.

Make Adjustments to your Supply Chain

There have been huge changes of late in the way that we buy and use the materials we need to run our businesses. The market has expanded and the options are endless, so there's no reason you shouldn't be taking advantage. It's up to you to look into the companies that you buy from and supply to, and decide who you'd like to support. This keeps the field competitive, which encourages other companies to be sustainable as well.

Social Responsibility

Being sustainable doesn't have to just apply to what goes on within your company. You could use your profits to support local green projects, donate to schools, have informational conferences about your practices, and more. The benefits of doing so are worth it, as well -- customers are much more likely to want to support a business that cares about the world around it, and you'll have access to much more competitive employees. Having a good reputation is always great for branding, relationships with customers, and outreach.

Company Culture

If you get your employees into the mindset that you're a sustainable company, they will follow suit. They'll recycle, use energy more efficiently, try to cut back on wasted resources, and the like. Most employees who are surveyed say that they will recycle when they have a recycling bin available, so if you simply make it easy for your employees to go green, you can count on them to do it. The impact of having everyone in the company cutting back on waste is much larger than one might expect.