April 22nd will mark the 46th annual Earth Day, an internationally recognized holiday that promotes environmental conservation and energy efficiency—does your factoring company/brokerage have a plan to contribute to the cause?
If not, no worries—there is still time to come up with something. From making your factoring firm more ecofriendly to choosing an ongoing project with which to get involved, there are numerous ways that your factoring business can join the movement and do its share.
In the office…
Reusable Pens – The Secret Savior
Some of the most wasteful products are those that you would never expect—disposable pens, for example. Each day, the Americans throw away more than four million disposable pens, all of which are unnecessarily stuffing our landfills. But this wastefulness is easily done away with if businesses like yours started stocking reusable pens or purchasing pens that are made out of recycled materials. Making your factoring company ecofriendly is far simpler than you think. The tricky part is identifying and eliminating the exiguous waste products that can have large long-term impact on the environment—like the disposable pen.
Start a Green Team
Get the entire office staff involved in Earth Day festivities by appointing different “Green Teams” that engage in friendly mini-competitions to see which team can be more ecofriendly. For example, split the office up and see which squad of factoring experts can save the most paper, recycle the most, etc. A touch of gentle competition can be a great catalyst for a collective, office-wide push for a more ecofriendly workplace.
In the field…
Celebrate Earth Day
On the 22nd, eco-conscious folks all around the planet will host events to contribute to the greater Earth Day cause. Get your business involved in one nearby, or if none of them are geared towards an environmental problem that you would like to resolve, register your own event!
In the world…
Reforestation
If the in-office solutions and the events do not appeal to you, you can always donate to a preexisting, international effort to save Mother Earth.
For instance, you can channel your inner tree-hugger and contribute to the reforestation campaign. The planet loses 15 billion trees each year due to human development—that is 56 acres of forest that are disappearing each minute, according to the Earth Day Network. Helping groups of do-gooders plant new trees and conserve existing forests is a very noble cause that will be appreciated for generations to come.
World Wildlife Fund
For all of you animal lovers, there are numerous international nonprofits that specialize in ensuring the perseverance of Earth’s endangered species. Contribute to programs such as the World Wildlife Fund and make sure that your favorite animals—from the Monarch Butterfly to the rarely seen Irrawaddy Dolphins—can stick around.
What’s so good about going green?
Getting involved with the previously mentioned environmental campaigns or taking part in Earth Day activities offers a myriad of benefits to your factoring firm. Not only (and most importantly) is it ethical, but it is also promotes comradery within the office by rallying the staff around a shared challenge. It also gives you a chance to show your business partners and clients that your factoring company proactively takes part in lessening our environmental footprint.
Hopefully these tips have provoked some thought as to what your company will do to contribute to the Earth Day movement on the 22nd of April—all businesses, including factoring companies, have their fair share of work to do if we are to create a sustainable, ecofriendly business world.
About the Author: Factor Finders specializes in finding factoring companies that can fund difficult-to-place deals. Our services help other factoring brokers capitalize on commissions that might otherwise be lost.
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