Did you know that on average people waste 40% of their workday due to increasing demands and a lack of organization? Or that Americans waste more than 9 million hours looking for lost and misplaced documents?
Organizations relying on primarily paper-based systems are not only often more inefficient, they are also overlooking one of the key aspects of running a successful business—corporate social responsibility.
Today, organizations have the responsibility to leave a positive impact. The opportunities to make a positive and sustainable difference are available. In fact, organizations looking to increase profitability have far more to lose by not integrating corporate social responsibility into their operations than by integrating it.
Discover why corporations have a responsibility to go paperless. The reasons may just surprise you.
Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility
In order to understand why corporations have a responsibility to integrate CSR, or corporate social responsibility, you must first have an understanding of what CSR is. Corporate social responsibility can best be thought of as business initiatives and responsibilities that lead to a positive impact environmentally and socially. Or, to put it another way, corporate social responsibility is the commitment a business makes to contribute to not only economic development, but positive environmental and social impact as well.
What CSR Means for You
While you may be aware of what corporate social responsibility is, you may not be so sure how to integrate it into your day-to-day operations. After all, your organization must still maintain and increase profits. Although there are a number of ways that you can begin to adopt a corporate social responsibility mindset, one of the easiest and most efficient ways to do this is by opting go paperless.
The Advantages of Being a Paper-Free Organization
If you’ve ever considered upgrading your document management systems to become paperless, you’ve come to the right place. Not only does being a paperless organization make a positive impact on the environment, but it also can make you a more profitable and efficient organization. With a paperless model in place, managing your documents and adhering to basic legalities such as Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) becomes far more efficient. Sound more like fantasy than reality? Discover some of the lucrative advantages you can expect from digital document management:
- Increased Efficiency: Looking to increase productivity and efficiency? If so, you may want to consider going paperless. No more scrambling for documents or papers getting lost in the shuffle. Digital document management makes this a seamless and easy-to-manage process.
- A Cleaner Environment: Although we have become accustomed to paper, it is not without impact. Digital management helps to reduce this unnecessary waste. Meaning, your organization can reduce their environmental impact substantially, leading to a cleaner and more environmentally stable operation.
- More Trust: People like to buy from brands that they know, like, and trust. People are more apprehensive to buy from brands that are not socially and environmentally responsible. If your organization is making a positive impact, this increases the trust and credibility of your brand.
- Positive Change & Influence: Your organization can either make a negative, neutral, or positive impact on the world we live in today. Why not make the choice to make a positive impact? Going paperless is a statement. It shows that your organization is taking a stance for the good—not to mention making your operations more efficient in the meantime.
How You Can Go Paperless Today
Ready to take the next step and go paperless? While this can seem like an overwhelming overhaul, don’t worry: it’s not as intimidating as it may sound. In fact, with eFileCabinet, you can guarantee that this will be one seamless process. Why? Because we know that you have more important things to do, like running your business. As experts in paperless management, we can help your organization transition in no time.
- Start Small. Who says you have to make one huge transition? Doing one giant overhaul may not always be practical for your organization, especially if you do not already have paperless-based systems in place. Implementing a fully comprehensive paperless system takes time. It is crucial to have an understanding of what roadblocks are in place that prevents your organization from being paperless. Do not let the fear of getting started stop you from becoming paperless. There are plenty of customizable options that can help your organization get up to speed in no time.
- Integrate. Once your current operations have been assessed, it’s time to integrate your new paperless system. While this process will vary depending upon the internal operations of your organization, you can expect some of the following steps to take place: the digitalization of your documents, hardware and software system updates, and identification and classification of documents, all while ensuring that minimal risk is taken. We’ll work hard to ensure that no information gets lost along the way.
- Be Secure. Security is at the heart of all your operations. Often dealing with exclusive information and private data, it’s vital that you maintain security over all of your documentation. The good news? A paperless system makes this process even easier. In fact, paperless systems are not only more secure, they are cost-effective as well. Your organization’s documents will never be in harm’s way.
As costs rise, preferences change, and practices adapt, it’s crucial that your organization continues to evolve as well. Consumers are demanding brands that are socially and environmentally responsible. By freeing up capital and saving yourself time in the process, going paperless is a great way to help your business and the environment. After all, who really wants to deal with all that unnecessary paperwork, anyway? Migrating your operations toward paperless can give your business the extra boost it needs to fuel long-term growth and profitability.
Want to learn more about what going paperless means for your organization? Be sure to check out Four Things Businesses Need to Consider Before Going Paperless.