Exploring Six Sigma strategies to solve environmental challenges in the workplace is becoming more and more commonplace in today’s business landscape. The methodologies go hand-in-hand with the accountability consumers are looking for from the businesses they support, while helping companies meet triple bottom line goals that can make a huge difference in the marketplace.
Great sustainability projects lead to bigger and better ones, but sometimes it is a challenge to know which issues to address first.
In the first article on this topic we looked at options in transportation, paper and lighting – three factors that all businesses can stand to look at more closely. In this article we are going to look at water, solid waste management and electricity use.
- Water Usage
Less than 1% of all water on Earth is readily available for drinking. U.S. States are suing one another for water rights. Nations have gone to war over water. It is a resource that is dwindling and one we take for granted here where we turn on the tap and out comes fresh water any time of the day or night.
Businesses are in a unique position to raise awareness of water use and benefit by increasing brand image and saving money along the way. Here are some suggestions for the office:
- Install meters to keep track of usage. Once you have baseline data you can track changes. Remember that using less is often about investing in right equipment such as:
- High efficiency faucets and an energy efficient dishwasher in the staff kitchen area can save money quickly.
- Dual flush commodes are a good investment. These commodes they tend to use about 20% less water overall.
- Water reclamation systems in a manufacturing setting can be quite cost-effective. It may require more resources but savings in other areas can be used to augment the project.
- Once you start a water-saving project consider:
- Creating a section on the company website to educate your customers and other businesses about water savings.
- Skimming some of the savings off to support an organization that leads stream and river clean-up locally, or donate to organizations that provide freshwater to communities that need it most.
- Solid Waste Management
A more aggressive recycling program can be a cost-effective tool for companies of all sizes. If the local area accepts commingled recycling then the challenge of sorting will not be an issue, but often the biggest challenge in the office is properly sorting, setting up a clear expectation for waste stream and working with housekeeping and other staff to place waste in the proper place. That is just one piece of the puzzle. Here are a few other ideas:
- Packaging that is not easily recycled may have a second life for a store that ships breakables. Use social media or sites like Craigslist to find a second life for items that are no longer needed. From bubble wrap to broken office furniture, there is generally someone with a purpose for almost everything.
- As much a possible, source items from suppliers who are mindful of their waste streams, as well.
- Many more options for compostable, disposable utensils and packaging “plastics” made from plant starches are coming to market. This is fueling public awareness for community composting facilities. While in many places this is not practical, it is something to keep in mind.
- Streamline business processes to reduce solid waste and choose recyclable and compostable materials whenever possible.
- Electricity Usage
Almost every sustainable change made in the workplace will save electricity. In addition to the obvious lighting options, consider timers that will turn off the lights if they are accidentally left on. Here are a few more suggestions to consider:
- Dimmers and power strips can be effective ways to reduce electricity use at the employee-level.
- Upgrading to more energy efficient equipment, especially office machines, can contribute to savings over time.
- Consider solar. The cost of solar panels has come down over the last half decade and materials are becoming better and better, as are the incentives. If your business hasn’t considered solar in a while, it may be time to revisit the topic.
Other Considerations:
One business I am familiar with worked with a team that developed a structure for the solar panels which also provided shade for employee parking. As an environmental bonus the structure also re-routed runoff water toward planted areas that then filtered the water.
Collaboration leads to creative and effective results in businesses large and not so large.
It can be daunting to look at large case studies and think that those lessons or projects aren’t applicable to more modest-sized organizations. Six Sigma methods and logic can be applied across industries as a powerful lens through which to frame sustainability projects that are right for individual organizations.
Being creative and choosing a project that is relevant and meaningful to an organization can cultivate many other projects over time. Knowing where to start is a matter of juggling organizational needs with available resources. Six Sigma training provides important tools to address these business sustainability needs.
Belt-level training exposes leaders to new ideas and helps them make the critical first step in developing and implementing projects that yield savings for the company, a boost in company image and success for the environment.
