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There’s more pressure than ever for businesses to get involved
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The state of the world and the condition of the environment has been a massive talking point over the last decade. We’ve had fears of an incoming ice age, more hurricanes during hurricane season than ever before, the threat of rising sea levels, and global warming, and these are conversations that have dominated politics, the business world, and the media.
These conversations have led to many benefits and actions being taken, such as the drive to promote electric cars, increase solar panel usage, and so on, but there’s now increasing pressure for more businesses to get involved and do their part.
But can businesses investing in the environment be a good thing? Is it a waste of time or a worthwhile commitment? In this guide, we’re going to explore everything you need to know.
It’s Better Business (Public Relations)
As the conversation about the health of the environment has spread, more and more public groups are starting to pay attention to businesses and how they affect the environment. Even back in 2021, the number of concerned citizens had risen by 27% from the year before, and this number has only risen over the years.
Nowadays, if a company is offering an eco-friendly solution, or is working alongside conservation projects to make the world a better place, a large percentage of market forces are far more likely to shop with these brands.
This is why there has been such a sharp rise in the number of companies who offer reusable plastic bottles in an attempt to cut down on non-decomposable, single-use plastics. Electric car companies like Tesla have continuously skyrocketed in popularity, and with governments and global powers, such as the UK, looking to legally rid the streets of all diesel fossil fuel engines by 2040, this eco-friendly route is clearly a path the world is walking.
As a business, this is a global shift you’re going to need to be thinking about because it will continue to move over the coming decades. Even the larger companies who are infamous for not being the most ecologically friendly are making big changes due to public pressure.
“Some of the biggest companies include the likes of Danone, who are actively making climate investments to offset their carbon emissions and help to revive and protect natural ecosystems. Coca-Cola has been dramatically working on their processes for acquiring water sustainably for their products through corporate investments into reforestation projects, even in their bottling facilities,” shares Nathan Mott, a project manager at Origin Writings.
“Even chemical companies like the Dow Chemical Company are making changes to improve the water quality near their facilities. It’s all global investment that aims to make big changes in the world."
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It’s A Win For The World
Of course, as a business making an investment into global ecological projects (or even local projects for that matter), you’re doing your part to helping the world become a more sustainable place. The facts are solid that the way the world has gone has changed the environment (nature specifically) in a rapidly negative way.
Never before have more species of animals been on the brink of extinction, habitats lost that will never come back in our lifetime, and even the effects that we’re having on ourselves and human health. You only need to look at pollution maps compared with health records in places like Beijing to know that we’re not looking after ourselves.
“It’s morally responsible for businesses to take the helm and offer more sustainable, eco-friendly choices to their customers, whether you’re making these accessible from splitting profits and making investments in key areas or offering products and services that allow your customers to make the impact,” explains Beth Hardy, a business blogger at 1 Day 2 write.
As we said above, more and more customers are interested in working with and spending their money on businesses that have a positive ecological impact, which will only increase in years to come. Especially with the rise and dominance of social media, you only need one big ecological event to happen and to go viral for the shift change, and any responsible, forward-thinking business is going to be ready for this shift.
George J. Newton is a business consultancy blogger Next coursework who is interested in helping businesses understand their role in creating a positive, sustainable world for all.