It’s no secret that environmental sustainability has become a major focus for businesses and consumers alike. As the demand for more responsible products and services increases, businesses have no choice but to respond or they risk losing their customers’ attention.
For small businesses, making the shift towards more environmentally-conscious practices can be cost-prohibitive, resource-intensive and generally overwhelming. Making it even more difficult to navigate the current climate is the public commentary around ‘greenwashing’.
One thing is for sure, driving environmental transformation must start at the top. Only when senior management leads the charge on sustainability can small businesses truly implement holistic change.
As talks of environmental laws gain momentum, small-business owners must ask themselves what they can do to ensure they don’t get swept up by the sustainability tidal wave.
Here are a few tips to get started:
1. Start the conversation and listen
As a business owner, the best way for you to start is to simply start listening. Ask your team, “how can we do better?”
Those who are close to the day-to-day running of your business will have a clearer view on what can be improved from a sustainability perspective. With customer needs in mind, your team will be across current trends and opportunities with vendors, suppliers and partners.
Take a moment to observe your competitors and see where the industry is headed. If possible, obtain feedback from your loyal customers too. These are great ways to gather data as you get started.
2. Pick your focus areas and tackle each one at a time
At Sustainable Choice, we have seen so many businesses get overwhelmed by the sheer scope and complexity of sustainability conversations that many of them end up in the too-hard basket.
When presented with multiple transformation opportunities, start by selecting key focus areas and tackle them in stages. Examples could include switching to a more environmentally-conscious ingredient, packaging material, power source, delivery method, or recycling initiative.
3. Ask the experts
Embarking on a sustainability journey can be complex so it’s good to seek some guidance from reputable climate and sustainability consultancies. These subject matter experts can provide you with a solid framework to implement real change.
In order to minimise risk, we think it is much better to kickstart your transformation with a clear plan of attack, equipped with trusted, business-focused advice from industry professionals. We can even point you in the right direction if needed.
4. Look into certifications and measure your impact
One of the most effective ways to supercharge your sustainability credentials is to align your business, products or services with trustworthy, industry-recognised accreditations. Getting your business formally certified could help build more trust and authority.
We also suggest analysing the environmental footprint of your operations, such as measuring carbon emissions or waste production, to better understand where to reduce your impact. There are plenty of tools and providers available in this space.
5. Celebrate and communicate your progress
Once you’ve made a start, ensure that your customers and key stakeholders are informed of your progress along the way. We understand that when a business publicly announces their sustainability commitments, they are also opening themselves up to questions and potential criticism.
The best way to overcome this is to avoid using ambiguous language. Stick to the facts, back up your claims and make sure it’s easy for consumers to access more details about your commitments.
