If you run your own business, you will have noticed that nowadays, sustainability matters. Investors are focusing on green products, leaving unsustainable practices in the dust. This means that as a business leader, your business needs to step up in order to match today’s standards of sustainability and ethics.
When it comes to becoming a sustainable business, there is lots to be done. Often, businesses label themselves as sustainable without actually changing anything – but this often leaves their customers disenfranchised with their brand.
Can you really call your business sustainable, or do things need to change? Here are a few factors to consider.
Does your business use single-use plastics?
Single-used plastics are being banned in many companies around the world, and there’s a good reason for this. The amount of landfill in our world is increasing every single day, and single use plastics are part of the problem.
Reducing single use plastic in your workplace is easier than it sounds. By providing your employees with the framework in which they can ditch single-use and welcome more sustainable living, you are doing everybody a favour.
For example, you could provide everyone with a branded water bottle and coffee cup, in order to prevent the unnecessary use of plastics that damage the planet.
Do you incentivise colleagues and employees to use environmentally friendly forms of travel?
Another way to make your business more sustainable is to reduce the overall travel of your employees. When people do need to travel, you should incentivise them to use alternative forms of travel, or reduce their impact by car-pooling, for example.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that it is possible to work from home. While sometimes it is necessary to come into the office, by allowing employees to work from home more often you eliminate their commute, thereby reducing the company’s use of fossil fuels.
There are plenty of ways to incentivise people to be more proactive with their sustainable travel choices. Providing safe bike storage, or providing colleagues with free public transport passes, are both excellent ways of achieving a more sustainable business model.
Does your business give back to the world in any way?
Even if your business is still a small enterprise, it doesn’t mean you can’t give back. Large brands have their own foundations and charities, and while this isn’t achievable for most businesses, you can still make small steps towards giving back to your community and the planet.
For example, you could allocate five working days per year that are dedicated to volunteering as a team. You could plant trees, sort trash, feed farm animals, work with kids or help clean up beaches – whatever you decide to do, it will be evening out your business’ impact on the world.
Final Thoughts
If you are searching for ways to make your business more sustainable, you aren’t alone. This guide isn’t the be-all and end-all of sustainability advice, but it’s a great place to start. Get your research hat on, and start making your business the sustainable company you’ve always wanted it to be!
