The environmental impact of small enterprises is often underestimated. Whether the impact is positive or bad is up to you as a small business owner.
Brands that care about the environment are becoming more aware of the importance of small company sustainability.
In order to preserve their family and the future of the earth, more people are willing than ever to invest in environmentally friendly items. Due to increased consumer awareness, businesses of all sizes are now adopting more environmentally friendly practices.
It’s all in the numbers:
Eco-friendly products are preferred by one in three people questioned.
In order to lessen their negative effects on the environment, over half of the largest US companies and 60% of the largest international corporations are making investments. (This represents a rise of 7% from 2012 to 2018, the time period covered by the poll.)
68% of millennials who were polled said that they have purchased an environmentally friendly product in the preceding year.
According to a recent poll, 63% of people in the United States believe that corporations will take the lead in bringing about environmental change.
Eco-awareness not only keeps you competitive in today’s market, but it also promotes your business as environmentally concerned.
Check out these ten methods to make your small business more sustainable if you’re just getting started.
Sustaining a small business begins with the people who run it. Asking the following questions about your source materials is a good place to start if you want to go green with your company.
Is it possible to tell if they come from a sustainable source? Do the materials you purchase from your supplier have excellent ethical, social, and environmental performance? An example of this could be the use of water in manufacturing in a responsible manner.
Which ones are fairtrade? Don’t buy products from companies who don’t pay their workers a living wage. Are they made of materials that can be reused, recycled, and/or degraded?
Environmentally friendly and ozone-depleting chemicals are not included in these products. The following are a few examples:
Replace single-use containers with biodegradable ones, such as corn starch, mycelium, wood pulp, and seaweed, rather than using them.
Don’t utilize a jumble of components. Your package may become unrecyclable if it comprises two different types of polymers. Use only one type of plastic if you must.
Make it enjoyable and functional at the same time! Is there a product you’ve ever loved so much because of its packaging as much as the thing itself?
If your package is well-designed, strong, and/or useful, it will be less likely to be thrown away. For example, a reusable drawstring bag with your brand on it is likely to be used by your consumers in the future.
Before a product is sold, it is important to consider where it is kept. Over time, the environmental impact of long-term storage can accumulate, whether it’s in freezers for your food or a warehouse for your goods. There are a few things to keep in mind:
Solar panels, for example, are a good option for a climate control facility that uses sustainable energy.
Pack your products in environmentally friendly green containers rather than plastic ones.
Rather than throwing away things you no longer need, consider donating them to a good cause instead.
It’s not over once your products have been delivered to your customers! Your carbon footprint will be reduced even further if you use environmentally friendly shipping methods.
When shipping small items, don’t place them in an overly large package. Keeping your product’s packaging as little as feasible will help you save money on shipping and save it from taking up valuable cargo space. This will lead to fewer travels and lower carbon dioxide emissions, as a result.
By decreasing the “Russian Doll” impact of placing a boxed item into a second or third box prior to shipping, you can save money and resources.
When feasible, consolidate your purchases. Discounts for numerous purchases are a great way to encourage customers to buy in bulk. Use shipping materials that are environmentally friendly.
The following are a few examples:
On the other hand, the following substances should be avoided at all costs:
Also, paperless billing eliminates the need for additional documentation. No paper at all is the most environmentally friendly option. US offices consume 12.1 trillion sheets of paper per year. That’s a lot of trees, regardless of the cost.
It’s in everyone’s best interest to make the changeover to electronic billing and documentation. It not only reduces the amount of paper you use, but it also enhances the amount of storage space you have. Customers would appreciate receiving electronic receipts in instead of printed ones.
The sustainability of your small business is a team effort. It’s much easier to achieve your goals when your company’s culture is centered around environmental sensitivity.
Commuters use the curb to get around.
Working from home has never been more popular, and for good reason: it relieves stress for a lot of individuals. Allowing your staff to work from home reduces pollution, fossil fuel consumption, and the total carbon footprint of your business.
Customers and clients are increasingly looking for organizations with a focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR), as environmental consciousness grows in popularity. Customers and clients are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their projects. The supply chain is a major concern for many of them.
Environmentally-conscious customers and clients are looking for firms that are committed to improving their sustainability and lowering their environmental footprint.
As a result, a growing number of clients and customers are looking for firms that can demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability through certifications and credentials.
In addition, it’s possible that your customers and clients are subject to environmental standards inside their own organizations. They may also be required by law to only operate with businesses that are certified as environmentally friendly.
To put it another way, obtaining environmental certification will open up more opportunities for your business. As it is, it’s as easy as that.
An environmental certification tells customers and clients that you can support their goals and responsibilities, as well as verifying the practices and operations of your organization.
