Saving resources is not only about mitigation of pollution and climate change; it is also about creating new growth with the resources still available in a world where populations and ever increasing demand for more products are still growing. The efficient entrepreneur is aware that growth is linked to improved resource efficiency, enhanced quality, and corporate responsibility, which will secure a long-term and sustainable business. The efficient entrepreneur also knows that improving environmental performance can save money - sometimes a lot of money. Many such improvements achieve substantial returns on investment and offer short payback periods. Savings come mainly from reducing the costs of waste disposal, cutting bills for raw materials and improved operating efficiency. For example, more efficient energy use can reduce expenditures without directly influencing the output or services of the company. Twenty percent savings on energy and fuel bills are easily achievable by adopting proven energy efficiency measures.

A monthly action is all it takes to get started

The United Nations Environment Programme Division of Technology, Industry and Environment (UNEP DTIE) and the Sustainable Production and Consumption Department at the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy in Germany have jointly developed the Efficient Entrepreneur Calendar for all entrepreneurs interested in sustainability. This calendar guides businesses through a programme that simultaneously saves money, increases efficiency, and reduces environmental impacts. In combination with an additional booklet (The Efficient Entrepreneur Assistant), the calendar provides assistance and guidance on how to measure and improve environmental performance and stakeholder relations in seven key areas. On the basis of “You can’t manage what you can’t measure” the calendar introduces performance measures that are easy to assess and evaluate. The calendar charts a "month-by-month" programme that ends with a simple Efficient Entrepreneur report. First launched in 2000, the calendar has been translated and published in English, French, and Spanish and recently in Turkish.

Fulfil customer demands
Environmental performance measures can help improve business-to-business relationships along supply chains while at the same time reduce risks, inefficiency and costs. The Efficient Entrepreneur Calendar and the Assistant provide an easy-to-handle tool that helps to measure, improve and communicate performance, enabling participating companies to keep pace with sustainability related business developments and trends among larger companies with which they do business.

Improve the company image
Any reduction in energy, materials or water consumption is a gain to employees, customers, the community and the environment - and this story should be told. Cost savings, waste reductions as well as improved health and safety conditions make good news. Entrepreneurs should communicate the fact that their company has its house in order and that it is an efficiency leader in the supply chain. Doing so will result in improved relations with employees, customers and contractors, suppliers, banks and insurance companies, authorities, neighbours and the public at large.

Comply more easily with current and future regulations and audit schemes
The calendar enables entrepreneurs to know more about their business by having an overall picture of efficiency issues and problems and possible improvements which are important steps in the preparation of ISO 14001 or EMAS.

Background

The Efficient Entrepreneur Calendar project is coordinated by the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) and the United Nations Environment Programme’s Division of Technology, Industry and Environment (UNEP DTIE), in collaboration with a wide range of local partners for translation and distribution to serve the needs and visions of sustainable and efficient entrepreneurs.