As global pressures on raw materials and natural resources grow, businesses will need to become increasingly effective at maximising every last penny of value from the resources they consume.
- What is resource efficiency and why is it important for my business?
- How do I make my business more resource efficient?
- How can I get resource efficiency training?
What is resource efficiency and why is it important for my business?
Resource efficiency is simply about doing more with less. As global pressures on raw materials and natural resources grow, businesses will need to become increasingly effective at maximising every last penny of value from the resources they consume.
Environmental improvement is therefore an increasingly important factor for businesses to stay competitive and to manage supply chain risks. Increasing resource scarcity; rising raw material, transport and utility costs; and pressure from customers, legislation and society to reduce environmental damage are combining to force businesses to improve their performance and become more sustainable.
The scale of savings that can be achieved through resource efficiency is substantial. Scottish Government research has identified that businesses and organisations lose about 4% of turnover by wasting resources and could save in excess of £2bn through simple resource efficiency measures.
Typically, organisations that apply a systematic improvement programme can quickly achieve savings equivalent to about 1% of turnover through low-cost or no-cost measures. Additional savings can also be made through investment in new technologies, products and process redesign. With economic pressures high on the agenda for many organisations, resource efficiency and process improvement make environmental and economic sense.
How do I make my business more resource efficient?
Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficiency & Process Improvement explains the business benefits of actively managing your resource efficiency and process improvement initiatives and describes techniques for achieving this effectively and efficiently. It also gives practical step-by-step methods and tips for ‘quick-wins’ that will drive improvement, reduce risk and build confidence. Download this guide here.
If you are an office-based business, Zero Waste Scotland has developed a guide designed to meet your specific needs and opportunities. Green Office, A Guide to Running a More Cost-effective and Environmentally Sustainable Office, covers the common environmental impacts of a typical office. It will help office workers and managers to quantify current practice, and take practical action to reduce environmental impact and costs by improving the use of office resources. Download this guide here.
How can I get Resource Efficiency training?
Zero Waste Scotland’s On Course For Zero Waste is a series of FREE accredited distance training modules. Each module provides in-depth training in a key topic for improving the environmental performance of your organisation.
Module 5, Resource Efficiency and Process Improvement, can be accessed here.
Guidance is provided on the practical application of the skills you will learn. Downloadable tools and templates are provided, so you will be well equipped to bring about change.
