A recent survey by Nielsen showed that seventy percent of consumers worldwide care about the businesses that they use being more sustainable, and a full seventy percent of Millennials say that they would pay more for environmentally friendly products and services.
According to Rated People, 70% of tradespeople are expanding their offering so they can work on more eco home improvement jobs. They’re also recycling more, using greener materials and driving electric vehicles.
Having a green business shows that you care about the planet. It’s also great marketing and should lead to at least some more business.
In this article, we look at some of the most important benefits of going green for trade businesses.
Saving money by going green
Going green for your trade business can save money on energy, water, and other costs. It is also an excellent way to increase your brand image, customer loyalty and staff morale, particularly younger staff. Plus, you'll be helping the environment at the same time.
However you personally prioritise green initiatives, there’s no question that their importance is growing. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) contribute greatly to the global economy so don’t think that your efforts will be meaningless.
Furthermore, green businesses can benefit from green grants in the UK. You can find out more about where to find green small business grants Find Out More.
What can you do?
You can start your company's green initiative by:
- Purchasing more durable and environmentally-friendly equipment
- Using electric vans or electric cars
- Offering more eco-friendly services
- Recycling as much as you can
- Going paperless by using software
Discover if your trade business is running smoothly.
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Going paperless
Going paperless means stopping printing out documents, using notepads and sending stuff through the post. Using software is key.
Do you use a paper diary system? Use job management software instead!
With Powered Now, for example, you can schedule jobs, invoice, quote, send online certificates and forms without wasting any paper. You can create great-looking paperwork in minutes and send them via email or text.
You can also manage your team and submit your VAT return. Everything is in one place and no paper is involved!
Going green is different for each trade
Going green doesn’t have the same impact on each trade. You might need to learn new skills or adapt new practices.
Below are some examples of the impact on each trade and what they can do:
Plumbers
The concept of "green plumbing" has been gaining traction recently. Homeowners will be looking for green plumbers so there is a huge opportunity to offer eco-friendly plumbing services.
What can you do?
- Use sustainable plumbing initiatives
- Promote water-saving appliances and energy-saving plumbing practices (ie insulate any pipes you install)
- Use more eco-friendly materials
- Recycle old pipes and appliances
Gas engineers
The sale of gas boilers is expected to be permitted until 2035.
After that, if you are a gas engineer you will have to learn new skills.
For example, the heat pump industry is looking for existing gas engineers to take on the installation of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs). With a short training course, gas engineers can move into this area of career growth with transferable experience and skills.
You may think that the boiler deadline is a long way away but obviously the industry has already started moving and there will be much less work coming up to the deadline.
What can you do?
- Use more eco-friendly materials and initiatives
- Recycle materials
- Learn new skills, such as installation of ASHPs
Builders
The government’s Construction 2025 strategy looks to build a low-carbon construction industry.
What can you do?
- Use eco-friendly building practices and materials into your building projects (ie wood, recycled metals, sustainable concrete, etc.)
- Use renewable energy
- Recycle water and build with renewable materials
Electricians
ElectricalDirect found that the majority of electrical workers are not sure how to become more eco-friendly and more than four in five (82%) don’t feel confident discussing the topic with clients.
What can you do?
- Use new energy sources, like solar panels
- Reduce your footprint by buying parts and materials produced locally
- Reuse and recycle where possible
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