Today”s businesses are under increasing pressure to go green. One way you can contribute to a greener environment is by adopting an eco-friendly supply chain strategy. Since supply chain management is such an important part of business and is also directly concerned with people and physical goods (raw materials and finished products), any step you take will have profound impact on your work environment and on the way people will perceive the image of your company.

Here are some tips for making your supply chain more “green”:

Switch to Green Equipment: A variety of equipment types are used in different of stages of the supply chain. For example, trucks and ships are used to transport goods, and air conditioners are used in storage facilities. Many of these types of equipment make harmful emissions and pollute the atmosphere.  In order to make you supply chain eco-friendly, start by switching to greener equipment wherever possible. For example, you could choose to use electrical equipment instead of those that run on gas or petrol.

Calibrate Existing Equipment: If replacing all your old equipment is costly, then calibrate them to work more efficiently so that they will consume less fuel and release less pollutants in the environment. Although this solution may not completely eliminate emission, it does make a significant reduction, which is a step forward.

Partner with “Green” Suppliers: In the last two or three decades, a large number of companies have gone green either out of choice or compulsion. Many of these companies have a made a name for themselves as green suppliers and are trusted by their customers industries, who in turn are trusted by consumers.  As a part of your supply chain strategy, seek out these suppliers and partner with them. Make sure that you get your supplies from them as far as practicable.

Recycle Raw Materials: Recycling is the key to an eco-friendly lifestyle. It minimizes wastage and prevents pollution at the source. Make it a company policy to reuse all waste products (where possible), and reclaim as many of your products as possible at the end of their lifecycle. Besides helping keep the environment clean, recycling also provides a cheaper source of raw materials for your company.

Proper Waste Management: Waste products are unavoidable, but you can help create a greener company and a better world for everyone to live in by managing your wastes in an eco-friendly way. Separate all recyclable from the non-recyclable wastes. Reuse the recyclable products to create new products. Destroy the non-recyclable wastes without polluting the environment. Waste management is an important part of going green.

Use Renewable Energy: Much of today”s manufacturing still relies on fossil fuels or energy produced using fossil fuels. Even non-manufacturing industries use vehicles and equipment that are driven by fossil fuel. This is doing unimaginable harm to the eco-system. So make the use of renewable energy the focus of your supply chain strategy. Wherever possible, use energy generated by clean and renewable sources such as solar power, wind power and thermal energy.