Here are 10 ways to make your business more sustainable:

It’s not all about solar panels, but they’re a great start

Solar panels are the most accessible and fastest-to-deploy clean energy technology available in Ireland today. There are various ways to use the power: either on-site self-consumption, in conjunction with battery storage, or by exporting the electricity to the grid. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland has a range of grants to support businesses investing in renewable heating, cooling, building fabric upgrades and energy management systems.

If you can’t see what you’re consuming in granular detail, you may end up investing in measures that don’t deliver the expected savings. A sustainability audit should tell the complete ecological truth about your business. Small businesses could do this by themselves with online tools such as the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard, but larger businesses will be well-advised to engage experts such as Business in the Community.

Support the shift to active travel and public transport

Businesses are the life blood of all our villages, towns and cities. Many are under increasing pressure from out-of-town retail centres and online shopping. But more car parking and road infrastructure will only exacerbate car dependency and add to congestion in the longer term. Most businesses will do better, not worse, with improved........

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