How sustainable is your business?
There are so many messages, reports and information available about being sustainable, even just in your personal life never mind when you consider running a business too. The facts surrounding climate change and the loss of biodiversity are scary and without action from all of us the damage is going to be irreversible. However, I know all of this can be so overwhelming! Not knowing where to begin, or even if you and your business can have enough of an impact, makes it hard to start. From reducing plastic to recycling more, going vegan to using ethical materials, there is so much to consider and if you look at it all in one go it is definitely going to be mind blowing!
If you want to do something to contribute towards the solution but it all feels a bit overwhelming, I really recommend reading Hope Is a Verb by Emily Ehlers which is a really hopeful (the clue’s in the title!) way of looking at the future and what a difference we can make if we all play our part.
I have found the best way to approach this is by starting small. First look at any mini changes you can make in the way you operate and the products you use, any easy switches that take very little time but are a step in the right direction. Are you printing unnecessarily, could you be more paperless? If you and your team drink tea throughout the day, that’s a lot of teabags going into landfill – could you switch to a loose leaf and save the waste? Are you efficient with your use of stationary, only using what you need and reusing when possible? There are so many teeny tiny ways that you can make an important step in the right direction and train your brain to think of things from a sustainable point of view.
A lot of the changes you can make are small and easy, but some are definitely harder. They will involve some personal sacrifice or even end up appearing to cost you more to run your business than the easier and cheaper alternatives. These might be larger aspects of your operations such as your energy supplier, sourcing ethical materials, using recyclable packaging, how you deliver and ultimately whether you are providing a product or service that is having a negative impact on the environment. You can only do what is viable for you personally, and you may have to pledge to make some of these changes in the future rather than straight away, but the fact that you are taking the time to consider them is progress. Communicating that to your clients and customers is also a fantastic way to start.
A lot of these points may seem more applicable to product-based businesses, and if you are offering a service it would be easy to think that you didn’t have much to change! As a Virtual Assistant, I am already running a business that has a comparatively small impact on the environment, but I can still consider things like my energy use, the places I buy supplies, the sustainability of the clients I choose to work with, the way I use my technology and also how I share my knowledge about this topic with anyone who will listen!
Obviously, it is very important for Earth’s biodiversity that we take care of the planet, only take what we need and give back as much as possible – that should be reason enough to look at the way you are operating – but if you a bonus, here’s just a few:
The number of people who are looking for sustainable products or services is increasing so being able to show how you are working towards these goals will improve your brand image (according to a survey by Deloitte 64% of consumers now want brands to reduce their packaging and 46% wanted clarity on sourcing of products).
As regulation in this area increases your business will need to comply – a head start on this will put you ahead of your competitors!
The number of people who want to work for ethical businesses is also on the rise, and you will attract a higher number of valuable employees who care about what their company does for the environment.
You will likely improve your efficiency and reduce your waste (which is a win-win for you and Mother Nature!)
In November, the UK will be hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) and hopefully the world leaders will be committing to urgent action to tackle climate change. This will include the ways we can recover from Coronavirus using greener solutions, and how we can all reach carbon neutrality.
Getting ahead in this area can only be a good thing – who’s with me?!
Jodie x