Trying to reduce the amount of energy your business consumes can seem like an impossible task.

Achieving greater energy efficiency isn’t going to happen straight away. While there are small changes you can make to help you along the way – LED bulbs, turning off electronics overnight, more recycling bins – it takes large, fundamental changes, sometimes across various departments, to see real results.

So the question becomes: is it really worth it? The answer: yes. It may be challenging, but the benefits it can bring to your business mean it’s more than worth it. Here are just a few of the benefits that come with successfully managing your business energy.

It saves you money

Let’s begin with the most obvious incentive for making your business more energy efficient: it will save you money.

While there may be upfront costs associated with implementing energy efficiency projects, the long-term savings can be substantial. According to 2014 figures by the UK Government, savings of 39% were achievable through energy efficiency improvements to all non-domestic buildings in England and Wales. Even a fraction of that would be a huge boon for most small to mid-sized businesses.

One of the most effective ways to see a saving on your energy bills is to find the right supplier. Energy consultants and brokers like Consultiv Utilities can match you with the best supplier for your needs, taking into account every aspect of your business energy usage and requirements.

Find out more at http://www.consultivutilities.co.uk/.

Reduces risk

We all know the energy market is extremely volatile right now, with energy bills seeing dramatic increases compared to a few years ago.

Since generating your own onsite energy isn’t an option for most businesses, finding ways to make your energy use more efficient is by far the most effective way to safeguard your business in this unpredictable market.

Benefits your employees

There was once a widely held belief that implementing green policies in your business was a threat to employee comfort; that there would be severe limits on water and power usage which would make everyone miserable.

Actually, the opposite is true. Businesses which are more energy efficient tend to show greater employee satisfaction (and therefore productivity), largely due to proper insulation, heat ventilation, and appropriate lighting.

Not to mention, most employees want to work for a business that takes environmental commitments seriously. This is especially true for younger members of the workforce, in their 20s and 30s; those most likely to face the long-term consequences of climate change. If you want to continue hiring from this demographic, having demonstrable evidence of your green commitments will make you a more attractive potential employer.

Improves your reputation

Becoming a greener business won’t just improve your reputation among current and future employees, but with your customers as well.

As the threats of climate change become more apparent, more and more people are taking their ecological concerns into account when it comes to which shops and services they frequent. Any business which can provide evidence that it takes its green initiatives seriously will find it easier to take advantage of this growing market.

It’s important that you do take it seriously though. Paying lip service to environmental concerns – otherwise known as greenwashing – can have a negative impact on your reputation.

Good for the planet

Lastly, the reason energy efficiency has become such a big concern for businesses: the impact of climate change.

The UK parliament declared a climate change emergency in 2019, and it’s not hard to see why. Weather is becoming more extreme, which has led to food shortages, animal extinctions, natural disasters, and worldwide epidemics. One of the main causes is carbon dioxide emissions, of which UK businesses accounted for 18% in 2018. It is therefore the responsibility of every business to efficiently manage their energy usage.