Earth Day 2023: how your business can get involved

This year's Earth Day is just around the corner – Saturday 22nd April. It’s the perfect opportunity for your business to demonstrate its eco credentials to customers – and save money along the way! Read on as we explore how you can celebrate Earth Day at work.

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is an annual event where people, businesses and communities across the world come together to raise awareness of the negative impact of climate change and overpopulation on the environment.

Over 1 billion people are expected to participate in events to mark the day, including community clean-ups and Earth Day festivals. People are also encouraged to consider their individual impact on the environment by calculating their carbon footprint, switching to organic food, turning off lights, and wearing sustainable clothes – to name just a few examples.

This year’s Earth Day theme is “Invest in Our Planet”, focusing on ways to ensure a green and prosperous future for earth and all its inhabitants.

Why is Earth Day important to your business?

Consumers are increasingly concerned with the sustainability of their online shopping habits. A survey by McKinsey & Company¹ found that 66% of all respondents consider sustainability when they make a purchase. This rises to 75% for the millennial demographic. Taking part in Earth Day demonstrates to your customers that environmental issues are important to your business, too, and could win you more sales.

Earth Day ideas for work

There are lots of ways for your business to celebrate Earth Day. Remember, even little changes can add up to make a big difference!

Make a donation

You could donate a portion of your sales proceeds on Earth Day to an environmental charity. Look at local organizations doing great things in your community, or check out the Earth Day website to donate directly to the event’s partners.  

Switch to sustainable packaging

Packaging is often perceived as the bad part of e-commerce – and certainly something your customers are paying attention to. You may have seen “packaging shaming” photos people have posted online of their deliveries arriving swathed in reams of excessive packaging.

You should minimize your use of packaging wherever possible, and explore some of the innovative, bio-degradable options made from seaweed, bamboo and even mushrooms.

Look at your supply chain

Making changes can minimize your environmental impact and save your business money. For example, implementing inventory management software will reduce your wasted stock, whilst route planning software can minimize the emissions of your transport network. We’ve got plenty of tips, here.  

Offset your emissions

Long term, you could consider a carbon offsetting scheme for your business – calculating your emissions and then taking steps to “balance them out” with some positive environmental actions.

DHL Express offers a range of climate-offsetting shipping options through its GoGreen portfolio. This involves carbon offsetting customers’ shipments with investments in climate protection projects around the world – including planting one million trees a year! Find a solution that's right for your business, here.

Reduce your business’s commuting carbon footprint

You could offer a cycle-to-work scheme for your employees, where you contribute towards the cost of a bicycle. And, if you’re one of the rare businesses that hasn’t joined the work-from-home movement yet, why not? Even once a week is a good start.

Be clear about your sustainability practices

However you decide to celebrate Earth Day, be sure to let your customers know. Sustainability is important to them – in fact, 84% of consumers are more inclined to buy from a brand whose values align with their own² – so share information about your company’s environmental ethos on your e-commerce website and across your social media channels.

Earth Day activities for work

Looking for some ways for you and your colleagues to mark Earth Day? These office event ideas might inspire you…

• Turn off lights and monitors when they’re not in use. These small changes can make a big difference!
• Reduce your paper usage. Does that document really need to be printed? We’re living in a digital age – embrace it!
• Recycle, recycle, recycle. And that doesn’t just mean paper – you can introduce food and packaging recycling bins to the office kitchen, too.
• Pledge to ban single-use plastic in the office. Reusable water bottles are a great alternative.
• Hold a litter picking afternoon. Round up some colleagues, grab some trash bags, and hit the local park.
• Start an office community garden. You are bound to have some green-fingered colleagues who can help get things going.
• Hold a team fundraiser. An office bake sale, raffle or quiz are great ways to raise money for local environmental causes – or you can donate directly to EarthDay.Org.
• Volunteer. Check out the Earth Day website to find local activities that you and your colleagues can participate in, such as community clean-ups.
• And lastly…get out there and embrace nature! Take a walk and really notice everything our beautiful planet has to offer!

What to post on Earth Day

Be real

It’s important that anything you post is authentic – businesses which never talk about sustainability throughout the year but then make a big noise on Earth Day will seem fake. Instead, think about the environmental areas your business genuinely cares about and is contributing to, and share your targets for the future.  

Share tips on sustainability

Depending on your business, you could give your customers tips to upcycle your products after use. For example, did you know leftover candle wax can be poured into pinecones to make fire starters? Put your (green) thinking hat on and get creative!    

Involve your customers

Many of your social media followers may be celebrating Earth Day. Ask them how they’re participating, reshare their photos, and invite feedback and ideas about what your brand could be doing to be greener. Earth Day is a community event so embrace the opportunity to learn customer insights that will help your business!

Earth Day ideas for businesses: FAQs

When is Earth Day 2023?

This year, Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22nd.

What is the purpose of Earth Day?

The day is held to raise support for the environmental protection of the planet, and highlight the issues that are currently challenging that. People are encouraged to demonstrate their support via activities such as community clean-ups, planting trees, and switching to sustainable clothes.    

What countries celebrate Earth Day?

Over 193 countries across the world join in celebrations. Organizer EarthDay.Org claims it is the “world’s largest environmental movement.”³  

When did Earth Day start?

Back in 1969, American peace activist John McConnell proposed the idea of having a day dedicated to honor the planet. Over the following decades, the event evolved into a globally celebrated occasion, with communities across the world joining in and making their own environmental commitments.  

Ready to switch to a greener way of doing business? Start by exploring DHL’s industry-leading sustainable logistics solutions, here.