As we get toward the end of 2019, it provides us with the perfect time to look ahead at what 2020 has to offer and how we can make the most of it. With that being said, read on to discover some business improvements to consider in 2020.
Start recycling IT equipment the right way
Businesses often face a conundrum when it comes to upgrading their computing equipment. Not only is there the cost of upgrading and installing brand new equipment to contend with, but there’s also that problem of what happens with the old technology. One such solution to the latter problem is computer recycling.
So why recycle computer equipment? There are a number of benefits offered by this process. Firstly, it saves you from having to find storage for the old equipment. While you may be able to sell some of this old equipment online, it’s likely that it’ll have little value to potential buyers. Additionally, online listings can even cost you money! Secondly, the disposal of electrical and electronic equipment is currently covered by the WEEE Directive - meaning that electronic waste must be properly disposed of and cannot be flung out with ‘household’ waste.
Lastly, computer recycling companies are a simple way of dealing with the burden of old computers – with some offering to remove your old devices for free. These are just a few of the many reasons businesses see computer recycling as a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly way of disposing of old computers.
Prioritize ethics in your supply chain
In the past, ‘born-green companies’ led the race to be ethical, i.e. organizations that prioritized corporate social responsibility (CSR) from day one in their supply chains. However, more and more business owners are coming to realize the benefits of supply chain practices and processes being at the heart of a credible CSR policy. They realize that green policies aren’t just about sales, marketing, and appearances. They can lead to a whole host of benefits, including lower material costs, increased efficiency, less waste, reduced transport expenses, and access to government incentive programs.
Nevertheless, there are still those that are skeptical about fully integrating CSR into their supply chains, and understandably so. For larger corporations, in particular, it can be difficult to make transparent, effective, and quick improvements. Resource scheduling is a necessity to have full visibility on how your resources are being used. You can read this on what is resource scheduling? for more information. Despite their best intentions, the sheer scope of the corporation’s supplier network makes this a huge challenge. There are also those that fear it will be too costly to set up and maintain worthwhile ethical practices. In the end, it often comes down to a choice of profits over ethics. They believe that incorporating CSR into their supply chain will have a detrimental impact on their bottom line. But, are the two mutually exclusives? Quite simply, the answer is no, as there are numerous cost benefits to be reaped by prioritizing ethics.
Retailers, including Marks & Spencer and Lush, have proven that you can be profitable and ethical. Both short-term and long-term cost benefits are achievable. In fact, Marks & Spencer implemented a ‘Plan A’ CSR program back in 2010, which made them an extra £50m. So, let’s take a look at where the cost benefits and savings come from:
• Increase share price – Your share price will increase because the environmental impact can be priced by the investment community. Effective environmental policies improve your company’s market value because they mitigate risk.
• Customer loyalty – By boosting your reputation, you will also improve customer loyalty. By showing a genuine commitment to ethical practices, you give your business a competitive edge. Customers prefer to purchase from credible businesses that they feel they can trust. Thus, this not only drives more revenue, but also shareholder value and stability.
• Avoiding reputational damage – You also need to consider what would happen if you did not incorporate CSR into your supply chain. You risk significant damage to your brand. If unethical practices occur, you could find yourself losing a lot of customers. Trust is notoriously difficult to rebuild, and it would cost a lot to try and rectify this problem.
• Operational costs – You can reduce operational expenditure by making changes that result in lower material costs, increased efficiency, lower energy bills, less waste, and reduced transport costs.
• Customers prepared to pay more – If you are known as an ethical retailer, you will find that customers are prepared to pay more for your products. Take Lush as a prime example. Despite a recession, their business performance remained strong. They prioritize ethical practices over cheap labor and low-cost ingredients.
How to go about prioritizing corporate social responsibility
Now you know that prioritizing ethics in your supply chain really does pay off, but this is only going to be the case if you integrate CSR successfully. To do this, you should handle the integration process as strategically as you would with any other area of your company. Make sure your commercial objectives are always at the forefront of your decisions. If your strategy is not profit and consumed focused, you won’t be able to attain sustainability, and thus you defeat the whole purpose.
Consider server storage for improved productivity
Most businesses based in the IT industry tend to have a lot of hi-tech servers which need to be stored effectively and efficiently. After all, it is important that your servers are kept in the proper environment so that they are allowed to operate to the optimum level. There are lots of different storage means and different data cabinets that are available at your disposal. Thus you are bound to have a lot to choose from and thus will consequently be able to find the best option for your business and your budget. One option which is certainly worth considering is the prospect of a soundproof server rack. There are lots of different soundproof server cabinets available in stores and off of the internet today, thus these should not be too hard for you to get your hands on.
All in all, servers can be rather noisy. Thus, when placed in an environment where your employees are working they can be extremely distracting. This is not the sort of conditions that your workers will want to be in. After all, not only will this be frustrating and annoying, but it will also affect their productivity levels because they won’t be able to concentrate. Therefore, a soundproof server rack is the most feasible solution. It ensures that you can place your servers wherever you like, whilst guaranteeing that your employees are not distracted and thus can work efficiently.
In addition to this, a lot of people tend to deter from buying soundproof data cabinets because they are more expensive. Whilst this is true, if you consider the costs as a whole then this is not always the case. As mentioned, if you opt for a server rack which is not soundproof then you will have to be a lot more careful with regards as to where you place it. This means your servers will have to be placed fairly far away from your employees and thus your computers. As a result you will have to buy extra accessories such as cables and extensions. This will lead to more cost and thus the gap between a non-soundproof cabinet and a soundproof cabinet is not as great as you would think on the surface.
As mentioned earlier, there are lots of different soundproof server racks available on the market today. Thus when buying you need to consider several points in order to make sure you purchase a top-quality choice. First and foremost, you need to make sure that you buy from a good brand, thus you should read reviews and testimonials in order to form a good idea of the product you are buying. In addition to this you need to make sure that the cabinet you buy is the right size. Not only does it need to be big enough to fit your equipment inside, but it also needs to be the right size for the location in which you are considering placing it.
All in all, when buying a server rack a soundproof option is something you should certainly consider. It is not as expensive as you may expect, moreover it eliminates the trouble of having to be so strategic with your placing of servers.
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