BizTimes: Management - Green is Good

By Harry Dennis, III for BizTimes. Read the full article in BizTimes HERE. 

Sustainability can contribute to bottom line. 
It’s no longer a maybe. “Greening” for small businesses is here.

My thanks this month to Vistage member Frank Priznar, CEO of PRIZIM, Inc., for his thoughtful insights on this topic.

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about greening is that while it’s good for our environment, it’s costly to the bottom line. Priznar offers these contrarian suggestions.

Reduce waste

How much waste does your business generate? Think broadly. Raw material, in-processing waste and scrap are, perhaps, the most conventional sources when we think of waste.

But what about waste of IT resources such as extending the life of electronic equipment rather than replacing it? How about reinforcing carpooling with incentives? This was once a popular alternative in the ‘80s, but notice how naked most “park-and-rides” look today.

Video conferencing has finally arrived as a cost effective alternative to jumping on an airplane for a meeting in Singapore. So has the strategic use of social media to accomplish costly marketing alternatives through media advertising.

And what about the human waste associated with poor health habits by both employers and employees? Smoking remains a major “non-green” problem for about 30 percent of our adult employee population. Obesity isn’t far behind.

Where are you green already?

Surprisingly, most companies already have green initiatives in place, many of which are common sense and informal. Recycling, for instance. Leasing hybrid cars for another. Temperature-responsive climate control, especially in Wisconsin, is not new. And add to this list low-cost perimeter lighting and sound absorption.

Let’s not forget something as simple as volunteering to post a sign stating that you will be responsible for keeping clean a section of a highway in our state.

So what’s the point?

Why not formalize what you’re currently doing? Make it a part of your corporate policy and get employees involved to help identify other areas where you can turn green.  Collectively, you’re making a great statement for your company, and in the process you’re giving yourself as CEO, and your employees, something to be proud about.

Energy

Nobody likes audits, and I’m probably at the top of that list. Energy audits, once popular in the ‘80s and ‘90s, are still available.

The costs are nominal, but the recommendations can be significant in terms of cost savings. We saw one at a California facility and were amazed at what they found. If you haven’t had one, try it. You might like it!

The green wave

Whether we like it or not, this IS a current reality. Younger people, in particular, want it, believe in it, and are willing to make it happen, in and outside of the workplace. From a business perspective, getting on this wave is simply good business.

As Priznar stresses, future customers and future employees will make personal choices based upon their perceptions of “green friendliness.” A smart company won’t push this under the rug. Multinational firms have no choice by mandate. We, as smaller businesses, do. If we haven’t caught onto the wave yet, then find the right surfboard and make it happen.

Core business goals

Now here’s a novel thought. How about appointing a chief greening officer for your company? No, not a payroll add-on, but someone who has the passion to take it on as a challenge. 

Rewards can come later. As CEOs, our responsibilities include providing the culture that says, basically, “we will be green.” Then we need implementation help. Hence, the chief greening officer.

Competition

I remember like it was yesterday when everyone jumped on the ISO bandwagon.  Customers, suppliers and other stakeholders demanded it. Today, you can see few competitive companies that are not ISO qualified and that don’t have “total quality” as a part of their culture, including lean manufacturing processes.

Let’s face it. American businesses are smart, much smarter for the most part than their global competitors. Greening is another competitive onslaught that we will overcome.  It’s important to understand that, just like diversity, greening is here to stay.

Next month, I want to discuss the subject of a possible or imminent “double-dip” recession, and how to respond to it. I’m very interested in your input on this subject. If you have an opinion, please call Michele at the TEC office at (262) 831-2240.

Until then, how beautiful our state looks now in its splendid green!