Do you ever consider how efficient your business is when it comes to resource? Do you assess how sustainable your processes are?  Whether it be human resource or physical materials, building a plan for resource efficiency can not only help your bottom line, but also make your business more financially competitive and environmentally friendly.

In this piece, we draw on insights from the Government’s Skills for a Green Economy report to assess the key skills your business may need to improve its resource efficiency.

Strategic business management

To enable your business to be truly resource efficient, big changes have to be made to the way your business is managed. Strategic business management skills and knowledge around developing resource-efficient business models will play a huge part, leading to bottom line benefits. You’ll also need to ensure your business model takes into account new government regulations and changes on the horizon, so you remain proactive rather than reactive.

Business/financial accounting services

When it comes to your finances, have you considered investing in learning about environmental accounting or getting some support? Environmental accounting can really help your resource efficiency, helping to identify your resource use, as well as measuring and communicating the cost of a company’s economic impact on the environment. Environmental accounting can provide many benefits to your business, including addressing long-term environmental consequences.

Technology design and adoption

Having an open mind set to new technologies and practices around resource efficiency – as well as understanding how to adopt them in your business – is key. The type of technology and processes you decide to integrate into your business will change the new skills your business will need. For example, if your business looks to introduce lean manufacturing into your workplace – a process for minimising waste with a manufacturing system – you may require someone with a good deal of knowledge and skills around manufacturing supply chain management.

Project management skills

Being aware of your business’ resource and capacity is vital when it comes to ensuring efficiency. Having a clear understanding of your resource requirements, as well as your environmentally friendly resource options, is vital if you want to get the most out of your projects.

How can your business access the skills it needs?

So you’ve identified potential skills and knowledge needed to make your business more resource-efficient and sustainable, but how can you access them? Businesses of all sizes can get support to upskill their business, whether it be through grants to take on apprentices, training workshops or access to student interns. Higher Level Skills Match (HLSM) is an account managed skills solution that offers regional SMEs the support they need to uncover the skills your business needs.

Find out more about how HLSM can help your business find the skills it needs.