PrintIT Reseller - issue 69

PRINT IT RESELLER.UK 35 BUSINESS BRIEFING PrintIT Reseller sat down with ECS’s Recycling Director Adrian Lovatt to discuss the challenges and benefits available to businesses who take advantage of a recycling scheme in 2020 Effective Consumable Solutions discuss the challenges and rewards of going green. here to stay. Since plastic pollution and the dangers of single-use plastic were announced and made more known to the general public over the last 24 months the number of environmentally-conscious consumers has sky rocketed. The green generation of customers is now very real. Businesses who continue to dismiss recycling as a means for sustainability are ironically overlooking a huge number of potential customers who would happily use their products and services if only their values aligned. Research has even shown that not only are green customers common enough to warrant a market segment of their own, but environmentally-conscious customers are also willing to pay up to 66% more for products and services provided by a sustainable company. Are there further benefits to be gained from the implementation of a recycling scheme? Looking internally at any businesses stakeholders is another fantastic way of identifying the benefits that can be gained from the introduction of a successful and sustainable recycling scheme. Simply put, sustainability can help you to hire better individuals and retain those who share your sustainable values. As I’ve already mentioned, a large majority of the public are aware of the importance of sustainability and believe it or not, are actually interested in the health of the planet. It’s important to remember that your members of staff and future employees are still part of the general public, thereby susceptible to the influence of sustainability and will therefore act accordingly dependant on how you engage with the environment and planet. Ultimately, sustainability can impact on your ability to recruit and retain the best employees as well as improve their performance. Find out more about our recycling scheme and the opportunities that we can provide you at www.greener-side. co.uk Is going green worth it for businesses in 2020, and what kind of challenges, if any, are they likely to face in doing so? Going green and becoming more sustainable as a business in whatever form or context, be it through a recycling scheme or the introduction of plastic free packaging is one hundred percent the right thing to do from both an environmental perspective and for the potential of opportunity cost. There is one issue; the majority of people reading this will see recycling and the implementation of sustainable processes as just another cost aimed at pleasing a small amount of their market which ultimately isn’t worth it. ‘Help the environment and harm your business’ is a term that will resonate with the majority of business owners who are at best sceptical about recycling, but we want to change their view on sustainability through recycling and prove that it can in fact provide multiple benefits including a market opportunity for wealth creation. Therefore, the main challenge for most businesses will be trying to overlook the initial cost of recycling and to realise some of the fantastic benefits for both the environment and their business that can be achieved through it. As you said above, a large number of business owners only think recycling is good for meeting the demands of a very small number of customers – how true is this? Going green is no longer just a trend. Instead, it is a change – one that is Adrian Lovatt +44 (0)1427 337 341 www.ecs-uk-ltd.com AND used by the most successful dealerships in the UK Quality Performance Reliability Known throughout the industry for: The Largest British Remanufacturer In Europe Toner Cartridges Chips Waste Toner Bottles Fuser Units Drum Units Developers