The Big Picture: Corporate Sustainability and Window Film
It’s hot outside – and it’s getting hotter every day. Whether you’re an environmentalist or you think climate change is nonsense, today’s post is worth a read – because sustainability is about a lot more than the planet. It’s also about your profits.
It’s time we all acknowledged the elephant in the room. Let’s talk about corporate sustainability.
What Exactly Is Corporate Sustainability?
Though the term “sustainable” has become a stand-in for “environmentally friendly,” corporate sustainability rests on a trio of intertwined practices, often referred to as “people, planet, and profits.” Companies considered “sustainable,” must take action to support:
- Global Societies
The rise of globalization has increased competition worldwide, and has consequently provided economic advantages for formerly isolated countries with a low cost of living and low wages.
Today’s booming businesses have unprecedented freedom to keep their margins consistent by sourcing from an ever-widening network of providers – but the pre-modern labor policies in many developing nations can mean that inexpensive supplies and materials come at a devastating human cost.
Companies intent on sustainability perform due diligence on their suppliers and goods to ensure that what they’re buying was produced in a safe, healthy manner that didn’t take part in:
- Child labor
- Forced labor
- Discrimination
Take Action: Start sustainability practices by choosing products, suppliers, and vendors committed to their workers. Although it may be impossible for you to personally investigate every link in your lengthy supply chain, responsible vendors will be able to report on their own supply chains and sustainability practices in depth.
- Planet Earth
You already know that sustainability ties into environmental responsibility, so we won’t belabor the point. In essence, protecting the planet’s scarce resources means you must:
- Reduce waste
- Limit your energy usage (your “carbon footprint”)
- Take an environmentally precautionary approach when considering business changes or expansions
Take Action: Reducing your carbon footprint is usually the easiest place to begin your journey toward sustainability. These days, you have options for a wide range of attractive and affordable energy-saving enhancements for your company, including newer, all-season solar and Low E films or Daylight Redirecting Films that reduce the amount of energy you need to heat, cool, and even light your building, retail location, or office space.
- The Bottom Line
Many companies become so focused on their obligation to protect the earth and its people that they feel as if it’s not noble to focus on their own profits. That viewpoint couldn’t be further from the truth. Your profits matter for your own long-term sustainability as a company – as well as the long-term sustainability of your employees and their families.
It’s important to protect your bottom line.
Take Action: Sustainability in one area doesn’t overcome a lack of sustainability in other areas. It’s wrong to overlook human rights abuses in pursuit of a quick buck – and it’s also wrong to overlook your business profits in pursuit of the most expensive eco-friendly product on the market. Find affordable solutions.
Commit to Corporate Sustainability in Your Company
It doesn’t matter if you have 2 employees or 2,000, corporate sustainability is always a smart thing to focus on when you want to ensure long-term growth. Start small to succeed big over time.
Follow this framework as you plan your sustainability initiatives:
- Determine your sustainability objectives and preferred outcomes
- Set goals (short and long term)
- Implement changes
- Reflect on your results
- Adjust your goals and strategies as needed
Repeat this process until you have achieved your objectives.
Start Today
Take your first (or next!) step on the path to sustainability when you support worldwide communities, Earth preservation, and your overall profits – all at once!
NGS Films and Graphics can help you increase your sustainability through a wide-range of responsibly sourced, environmentally friendly window films that can be installed at a fraction of the price of new windows. Some of today’s high-tech solutions include:
- “Low E” films (low emissivity) that reduce up to 42% of the heat loss associated with windows
- Daylight Redirecting Films that redirect direct sunlight toward your ceilings to reduce your light energy costs by up to 52% while increasing employee productivity
- Solar control films that reduce heat-causing infrared by up to 97%, cut down on harmful UV rays by 99%, and significantly cut your cooling costs
Modern window films are nearly invisible and can result in positive ROI in as little as six months. Some sustainable window-film consultants even offer free energy modeling for your workplace so can predict your savings in advance.
Learn more about your wide range of energy-efficient options and run your free energy-modeling analysis. Contact NGS Films and Graphics at (866) 925-2083.
