Environmental concerns are increasingly prominent in the minds of consumers, stakeholders, and regulators. As such, it’s a good idea for businesses to bear these concerns in mind when developing new products and services. If you can drive down your carbon footprint, and support the natural world through charitable partnerships, you can burnish the reputation of your brand – and stay on the right side of the law.
But if you’re running a smaller business, it might seem that your opportunities for green initiatives are a little more limited. You might not have the resources to risk on large, ambitious schemes, or to completely overhaul your operations. So, what small, practicable steps might you take?
Start with your daily operations
You’ll want to start by assessing what your environmental impact currently is. Think about the materials, energy, and tools you use, and the means by which you ship them.
In some cases, this exercise might reveal that gains can be made easily. For example, an office might reduce its use of paper by digitising its internal communications. A logistics firm might slash its carbon footprint, and its spending on fuel and vehicle maintenance, by optimising delivery routes.
This might be done without compromising on customer service, if you partner with the right outside firms. For example, a greener same-day delivery service might help you to keep your emissions down, while still satisfying the urgent needs of your customers.
Involve your team
Culture is essential. For your business to be sustainable in the long term, you’ll need to get every member of the team on board with your environmental ethos. This might mean providing training, reviewing procedures, and leading by example. It might also mean listening to feedback from employees, and understanding the obstacles that might stand in the way of your success. If your team doesn’t buy into the mission, it’s unlikely to succeed.
Work with green-minded suppliers
If your suppliers aren’t environmentally friendly, then your business won’t be, either. After all, there’s no point in building, say, garden furniture using sustainable methods and tools if all of the timber is shipped using carbon-intensive methods, and sources from non-sustainable forestry operations.
By finding the right partners, you might identify new operational changes that might not otherwise have been considered. For example, you might source packaging from local providers, or invest in carbon offsetting for your couriers.
Track progress and share your impact
If you’re serious about achieving your environmental goals, you’ll find a way to quantify your progress, and to share your results publicly. This will help to reassure customers and investors that you’re moving in the right direction. Better yet, it might allow outsiders to spot flaws in your methods, and to identify where there’s room for improvement.