Align with merchants’ and consumers’ values by offering eco-friendly payment solutions.
Sustainability isn’t just a fleeting fad. Rather, it’s a society-wide shift in values that’s shining the spotlight on the environmental impact of everything people do, including whether they opt for sustainable payments. Research shows that 58% of people credit COVID-19 for awakening them to their personal environmental impact, while an even more notable 85% say they’ll do what they can to minimize any harm they do to the planet.
This might come as a surprise to merchants preoccupied with the day-to-day details of running their businesses but there’s good news for those that choose to operate sustainably by using lower-emissions digital payments. Sales Partners can provide them with sustainable payment solutions — if they partner with the right company.
And with cash no longer king for a rising majority of U.S. consumers, there are even more reasons to focus on providing sustainable payments that help merchants comply with increasing regulatory requirements and standards aimed at protecting the environment.
What are sustainable payments?
Digital payments are powered by data centers packed with row after row of high-processing servers. How those data farms get their energy determines whether they — and the services they make possible — can be described as eco-friendly.
The good news is some payment technology companies are proactively seeking to make their operating footprint greener. For example, North American Bancard’s green efforts earned a Sustainability Certificate from Switch for offsetting all of last year’s emissions by using fully renewable energy from Nevada solar farms, meaning using the company’s offerings results in sustainable payments.
Going green doesn’t stop there, however. Sales Partners can also cater to environmentally conscious merchants and consumers by making changes both big and small.
What Sales Partners can do to help protect the planet.
One step you can take is cutting back on unnecessary paper use by digitizing business processes that traditionally rely on printed materials, like contracts and sales documents. Additionally, swapping regular for recycled paper is another simple way to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability.
Also, find ways to cut back on driving when possible. Help clients remotely when you can, decreasing onsite visits and, as a bonus, lowering fuel costs. And be sure to evaluate your office — is it outfitted with energy-saving features, or is it time to upgrade (and save on your monthly heating and cooling bills)? It may also benefit you to look into solar power for your facility.
In addition to reducing and reusing, don’t forget the importance of recycling. Be sure you’ve created a pathway for merchants to safely dispose of the hard-to-toss electronics equipment they no longer need or find a second home for hardware that hasn’t quite reached its end of life. Of course, you should also encourage your staff to recycle glass, plastics, paper, and metals at the office and their homes.
The benefits for Sales Partners.
Sustainability has never been more en vogue. However, instead of seeing the green movement as just a fad, think of it as an opportunity to enhance your profile as a responsible business serving like-minded clients.
Integrating your eco-efforts — and NAB’s — into your marketing collateral could even earn you some points with prospects looking to do their part to preserve the environment.
Being a sustainable payment partner doesn’t have to mean sacrificing product performance. Show your clients, potential and otherwise, that it’s possible to have it all with a payments platform that prioritizes the planet.
Contact North American Bancard to learn more.
