Latest trends: how industry and business are going green

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the greening of modern economy. Large industrial, logistic and other companies are accepting new environmental standards and introducing environmental management. Recycling, upcycling, transparent green policy — these and other elements are an integral part of the eco-trends of 2021.

Disposal and recycling

The pandemic has exacerbated the problem of plastic recycling in almost all areas, so a clear recycling and waste disposal system have become an absolute necessity. It is expected that by 2030, there will be a sustainable solid communal waste disposal system in Russia, which will ensure 100% sorting of garbage and a 2-fold reduction in the volume of garbage sent to landfills. The key elements of this system will be the organization of waste sorting, the increase in capacity for sorting and recycling, as well as the introduction of extended manufacturer responsibility.

In 2020, the Government of the Russian Federation approved a roadmap for separate garbage collection. At the moment, in 71 regions of the country, pilot waste sorting projects are already implemented, and their number is constantly growing.

Green offices and clean technologies

In 2020, Russian companies have invested 78 billion rubles in the greening of production, which allowed to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere by 71 thousand tons. In addition, businesses are introducing resource-saving technologies, participating in the development of the territories of their presence, and creating green offices. Companies are converting their buildings into energy efficient green spaces, with waste sorting and various sensors that help them use less energy and resources, which ultimately saves the company money.

In addition, companies are introducing sustainable approaches to routine workflows, such as reusable tableware and energy-efficient office equipment. The same trend can be seen in working with clients. For example, Sberbank saved 3.7 tons of paper by introducing the electronic signature technology.

Focus on ecology

Over the past decade, sustainability has become a tool for shaping the company’s image. The brand’s involvement in the eco movement increases the loyalty of partners and customers.

Companies are paying more and more attention to corporate eco-culture. For example, one of the trends of recent years has been the participation of large brands in large-scale promotions on a Russian-wide and worldwide scale, such as: Earth Hour, World Day of Cleanliness, etc. Let’s say that last year, 54 Russian companies participated in the All-Russian Ecological Dictate, including: Rostec, Rosatom State Corporation, Gazprom, Roscosmos and others.

Green corporate policy

Increasing environmental transparency is another trend for large companies. If earlier the environmental policy was not covered quite much, and reports on environmental performance were rarely published, now companies talk about it openly and post information about their environmental friendliness on the home page of their websites. Eco-policy transparency allows companies not only to increase their value in the market, but also to benefit the environment, society and the planet.