Going Green: A good PR move for your startup

A startup has many obstacles to face whether it is gaining capital and funding or just the general long hours associated with working at a startup. Building your brand is also something that is important for a company in its infancy. Going green is not only the correct thing to do for the environment but also for the fact that it will help your PR. Judging from the recent weather events across the country, going green is as important as ever. So your startup going green is a huge win on all fronts.

Customer Acquisition

There are many Americans who will only shop or be customers at environmentally friendly places. Chipotle is a great example of a small company that used ethical treatment of animals and the environment to not only gain customers but it helped in the company’s enormous rise to fame. Starting a green initiative in the office and sending out one press release might attract customers immediately. The simple act of a company clean up in a local park might be enough to attract a base of customers which is invaluable to a company just starting out.

Better for the Health of the Employees

Companies that adopt green practices in their industry also offer a couple other perks. More often than not, companies with green initiatives usually have wellness programs for their employees. This not only keeps the employees happy and healthy but often times can reduce costs in the health insurance realm provided by the company.

Hiring Better Candidates

Startups are usually hotbeds for hiring young employees. If you thought that only customers look at your environmental policies then you are sadly mistaken. Young talent also looks at this to see whether the company is just about the bottom line or has moral turpitude and just doesn’t have the policy “Profits above all.” Companies that go green usually take pride in treating not only the environment with respect but also care about their employees as people rather than just dollar signs.

Public Image

In the business world, having the respect of your peers and other companies is essential and this is especially the case for startups. If you have terrible environmental policies and a company is associated with your, then they could be vulnerable to public backlash later on for associating with the company. Going green is the newest “in” trend with companies and a startup should adopt this from the beginning. Activist groups and green energy junkies are always more than happy to drum up some publicity for companies who go the extra mile for the environment.

Cutting Cost and Government Grants

If you are starting a large factory, going with solar panels to supplement the energy that you’ll need will save you an immense amount of money in the long run. You can also receive government assistance for installing these panels which makes them more affordable than ever. Recycling the paper used in your office is also important as well as can cut costs on paper. Many companies have gone with the trend as going paperless throughout the company. With the new technology available today, the usage of online documents has skyrocketed.

Overall, going green doesn’t take much time or effort and it makes a huge difference for the public perception of your company. This will not only save you money but also attract and keep customers in the long run. If you aren’t sure about how to implement green policies, take a look at how to go green in your office. Stay green and rake in the dollars!