Under the Environmental Responsibility of the Corporates, it is expected to operate in a manner that protects the environment. Going beyond business activities and taking care of the environment can bring business benefits. Now corporate companies have realized that business activity in an environmentally responsible way is not only a legal duty but also a responsibility. Over the past few years, stakeholders increasingly require corporate organizations to become more environmentally aware and responsible. CSR activities of corporate organizations affect their bottom line and the long-term success of their business.
The environmental aspect of Corporate Social Responsibility had been debated over the past few decades and it’s a hot matter of any business house. Earlier in the traditional business model, environmental protection has been considered only in relation to the “public interest”, but now it’s a part of business. Governments of all over the world have maintained the principle of environmental responsibility for ensuring environmental conservation and management as well.
- Business Organizations Should Consider these Environmental Points
Business organizations should store waste safely and securely, make sure it is treated appropriately and also be ensured that it is collected by an authorized body such as your local authority or a licensed waste contractor. You can also manage waste for recycling by separating paper, plastic, metals and glass and for those organizations that are in the food businesses they need to separate food waste for recycling.
Be sure that your business activities do not cause a statutory nuisance like producing smoke, noise, gases, odor, fumes, accumulating rubbish or light pollution which could affect someone’s health. If your business activities pose an imminent threat to the environment, then notify the relevant enforcing body to take steps to prevent the damage and if your activities also cause actual environmental damage then you must take a remedial action to repair the damage. Before directing effluent detergent and waste chemicals into sewage, you should get permission from relevant body.
- Take care of Hazardous substances before throw-outs
The business organization needs to think about the risks posed by chemicals or hazardous substances to the environment. Hazardous substances include oil, chemicals, pesticides, ozone-depleting substances, radioactive materials, electrical or electronic equipment solvents and biocides. You must ensure that your organization is aware about the environmental risks for every hazardous substance which you store, use, produce or dispose of at work.
If you are in manufacturing business then you must comply with the restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances such as lead, mercury and calcium. Manufacturers are prevented from placing products on the market with more than a certain amount of hazardous substances.
If you work with equipment containing ODS or fluorinated gases then there are requirements that you must ensure prevention and repair of leaks, checking for leakages and record keeping recovery for the purpose of recycling.
- Store of Wastage and Recycling
Business organizations must ensure that any waste they produce as a result of their business operations is stored safely and securely, treated appropriately and collected for disposal or recycling by an authorized body to do so. The regulations of waste management require all businesses to separate the following forms of commercial waste for recycling plastic, paper, metals, and glass.
- Conservation and Biodiversity to be protected by the business organizations
Biodiversity refers to all species of animals and plants. The increasing human activities cause the loss of biodiversity in the world. All types of business organization operating near these types of the area should be aware, and take responsibilities for conservation and protecting biodiversity. This not only applies to land-based industries such as farming and forestry but also to all factories, industries, offices and other business activities based on or near biodiversity areas.
Protected areas like UNESCO biospheres include local nature reserves, areas of natural beauty that needs conservation, the heritage of wildlife habitats and national parks of the country.