According to a survey released by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), six out of ten companies have a sector dedicated to sustainability actions. This shows how much more conscious managers are about environmental care and, at the same time, about the reputation of brands in the market. Want to understand better the reasons why? Read on and see 4 sustainable attitudes to implement in your plant as soon as possible!
Sustainability actions: why is it important for industries to care about the topic?
Also according to the CNI survey cited in the introduction, the number of managers who are concerned about the issue of industrial sustainability practically doubled from the year 2021 to 2022. According to the survey, 34% of Brazilian managers stated this concern.
In addition, the proportion of professionals who demand environmental certificates from their suppliers has also increased. This number went from 26% in 2021 to 45% in 2022.
This shows how much the awareness of environmental care has become a priority in the industry. Today, certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design), for example, have become references to attest the social responsibility of industries in relation to their production chains. Among the principles on which these certifications are based, we can cite the 5Rs:
- Rethink: reflection on process improvements;
- Refuse: non-acceptance of practices that generate socio-environmental impacts;
- Reduce: reduction of the excess production that generates waste;
- Reuse: reusing resources, such as rainwater;
- Recycle: recycling of materials and liquid and solid residues.
Investments in sustainability for 2023: is your industry prepared?
Among the main reasons for investments in industrial sustainability actions are the reduction of operational costs and the improvement of the brand image. These factors go hand in hand when it comes to business profitability. After all, besides keeping the budget balanced, an industry with a positive image sells more. This also attracts promising investments to the sector.
The increase in market competitiveness and compliance with regulatory legislation also justify the concern of managers with regard to sustainable actions. However, the lack of incentives from the government is a factor that compromises the implementation of certain actions, in the view of many managers.
In this sense, the search for more viable alternatives to optimize the production line becomes the focus of sustainability programs. An example is the implementation of lighting and natural ventilation solutions, among other more sustainable and easily accessible practices, such as the replacement of conventional light bulbs by LEDs to complement natural lighting.
4 sustainability actions to implement in the industry
Below, we list 4 practices that you can implement as soon as possible in your plant to pursue industrial sustainability.
Water reuse
The reuse of water brings significant savings to the industry, and can be done through a rainwater harvesting system or even from the reuse of drinking water for hygiene and consumption purposes. The water that comes from treated sewage, for example, can be used for cleaning some of the factory's premises, such as the floors or for watering gardens.
Recycling and correct waste disposal
Proper waste management is one of the most important sustainability actions within an industrial park. After all, we are talking about extensive production chains that generate a lot of waste material. Some alternatives in this sense are selective collection, solid waste recycling, and organic waste composting.
Awareness campaigns and training
It is very difficult to implement sustainability actions successfully if there is no collective involvement. It is the manager's duty to promote the awareness of their teams and train employees to remain engaged in sustainable practices. One way to accelerate this process is to use gamification or bonus strategies for the most engaged groups.
Use of natural lighting and ventilation
Natural lighting and ventilation solutions are one of the most practical ways to invest in industrial sustainability today. This is because these solutions are easy to install, require little maintenance, and operate at zero energy cost. In other words, they allow the factory to achieve energy efficiency in the medium and long term and, at the same time, keep the coffers balanced, free of "surprises" of corrective maintenance.
Domus, blinds and industrial louvers are examples of sustainable solutions that ensure uniform lighting, thermal comfort and air quality in the factory without consuming a single kilowatt of energy. This means that the return on these investments is guaranteed, bringing savings in resources, efficiency for internal processes, and more quality of life in the workplace.
Want to know more about quality of life in the corporate space? See how to combine environmental comfort and sustainability in the industry to raise your factory to a more modern and humanized level!
