Eight Strategies to Help Your Business Adapt to Changing Times

Today’s consumers are more informed than ever and are choosing to support responsible businesses with their money – just as it should be! Has your company made the shift towards adapting to these changing times and aligned its business practices with corporate responsibility? The Green Maya Project shares eight strategies that all businesses can begin to implement to take better care of their communities, pockets, and planet.

1. Pay your employees their worth

When you take care of your employees, they will take care of your business.

2. Add community social service

You can create a recycling program, environmental education meet-ups, volunteer opportunities, a mentoring group, or whatever your community needs.

3. Educate your employees and clients about your sustainable actions

Discuss and implement your goals with your team. Provide material on your website, social media, and in-person to keep your customers informed about what measures you’re taking.

4. Understand the impact of your supply chain and adapt when feasible

For example, if you sell baked goods, you must think of each ingredient independently…the eggs, the flour, the salt, the chocolate, and determine the social and environmental footprints of each piece.

5. Source the best food and ingredients

For all your nourishment services, ensure that your supply is made from ingredients that are healthy, locally grown, organic if possible, responsibly raised and slaughtered (if animals), as well as hormone and pesticide-free.

6. Waste management plan

Start with reduction and eliminate all unnecessary “waste” from your operations. Do this by:

Not using Styrofoam. Use carton and paper products that can be composted, not to be confused with biodegradable.
Ask your customers to bring their own bags and containers for take-away. For those that cannot charge for the compostable or reusable alternative.
Choose glass first and then only plastics that can be recycled commonly numbered 1-5.
Start a compost pile for food scraps and organic materials. Composting is an easy way to make soil, which we desperately need here in Yucatán for food production. Composting also reduces methane, the most dangerous greenhouse gas in our atmosphere.

7. Water management plan

Capture, use wisely and repeat. Fix leaks and broken plumbing. Purchase water-efficient appliances. Implement green building strategies for the best uses of our most precious resource. Prepare for rainy seasons and flooding.

8. Energy efficiency and solar power

Reduce the consumption of energy by turning off or unplugging unnecessary equipment. Purchase high-efficiency appliances and if it’s within your means, add solar power to cover the remaining demand