A3.9.1 Resource Use
DEFRA state that it is estimated 2% of UK business profits per year may be lost through inefficient use of resources. UK businesses could save around £23bn per year by making simple changes to use resources more efficiently and help protect the environment and natural environment.
Making processes more sustainable can improve businesses’ bottom line by driving down costs, opening up new markets through innovation, and enhancing reputations and brand value. Businesses that don’t use resources more efficiently will miss out on potential commercial opportunities and will lose out as prices for scarce commodities rise.
In 2008/09, low carbon and environmental goods and services (LCEGS) were worth £112 billion, and employed around 910,000 in the UK and were worth £3.2 trillion globally. This is projected to rise to £4 trillion by the middle of the next decade.
Businesses can reduce the impact of their products and services on the environment from the processes of:
- design
- materials use
- packaging
- delivery
- marketing
- disposal and
- reuse
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to provide advice and support to businesses, local authorities, civil society organisations, households and government departments based in England on how to become more resource efficient (in their use of raw materials, water and energy).
The WRAP Publication “Resource Efficiency for Managers” (dated April 2012) is designed to help Managers improve the efficiency of their organisation’s use of resources (e.g. raw materials, water, energy) as a means of improving the performance of their business. A copy of this publication is available here: A3.9.1 WRAP Resource Efficiency for Managers
The WRAP Publication “Finding Cost Savings: Resource Efficiency for SMEs” (dated April 2012) aims to help small to medium sized enterprises/organisations (SMEs) and the business support organisations advising them to find concise, useful reference information on resource efficiency, environmental legislation and management tools. A copy of this publication is available here: A3.9.1 WRAP Finding Cost Savings
For more information on material resource efficiency and how you can reduce the environmental impact of your business visit the WRAP website: www.wrap.org.uk