Too Many “Footprints” for SMBS?
A Continuum of Footprint Metrics to Choose From
With time businesses of all sizes start to realize that the management of their environmental and social footprints is a significant contributor to employee engagement and client retention, let alone the purest satisfaction of doing what is right.
Small and Medium size businesses, however, tend to have more challenges in keeping track of the various dimensions associated with what is now commonly called Corporate Social Responsibility metrics. As science and research identify what matters, organizations could become puzzled how to manage an ever-growing continuum of “footprints,”. Those include carbon, plastic, water, paper and many more dimensions.
So as a small or medium-size business (SMB), what footprints should matter and where do you start? Well, the answer is two-fold: First focus on the fundamental metrics, then consider your specifics.
Environmental Footprints
The core footprints in that category are carbon, paper and water. Carbon footprints are associated with climate change through the greenhouse effect and are well understood to be a primary metric. There is no question that small or medium businesses must see carbon footprint as a primary CSR metrics.
Paper is core because it adds to carbon emission when produced. As well, reducing paper is a way to save endangered species from losing their habitat.
Water footprint, also defined as trying to consume and pollute limited amount of water is core considering the importance of water for life in general.
Social Footprints
From a social point of view, the community footprint is critical. Often defined as volunteerism and philanthropy, the community footprint is also straightforward evidence of CSR performance while being relatively simple to manage for an SMB.
But, then how about plastic footprint and air pollution footprints? Many other footprints could have significant sustainability impacts? This is when the SMBs specifics come in. For SMBs those other footprints are also significant as long as they apply directly. For example, a law firm will unlikely have to focus on plastic issues other than ensuring its primary suppliers (e.g. catering partners) are “green” and that they themselves refuse to consume preventable (e.g., one-time use) plastic where they can. As none-producers of plastic, tracking their plastic footprint would not be as important as the more likely applicable carbon and paper often seen in law firms. However, plastic producers or heavy consumers would have to consider plastic footprint.
Recently, a popular coffee shop brand, granted not an SMB, realized that handing out plastic straws was a significant burden to society and apparently engaged an effort to reduce their plastic footprint. This is an example of thinking contextually.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SMBs should not become overwhelmed by the number of environmental and social footprints being considered. As long as SMBs address the common core and their specifics they will deliver a very reasonable triple bottom line.
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