Does your business participate in the circular economy? Does your restaurant donate leftover food to reduce food waste? Do you use low-waste or plastic-free packaging? Are your products locally sourced? Climate change is a hot-button issue that affects the lives of every single person. According to the United Nations, carbon emissions are at an all-time high, contributing to rising temperatures that will cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem. What does this have to do with your business or small businesses more generally?
Climate change is an issue that affects people from all walks of life, and each person has a responsibility to do what they can to combat pollution and encourage sustainability. When considering the impacts of the climate crisis, it’s vital to understand that large companies are directly responsible for most of the pollution and greenhouse gas emissions affecting the ecosystem. According to CNBC, 20 companies are responsible for over half of single-use plastic pollution, which normally ends up in the ocean, being burned, or sitting in landfills for hundreds of years.
However, if impactful, lasting change is going to happen, it needs to be implemented in a timely, large-scale manner very soon, with every stakeholder playing an active role, before the change is permanent. As such, every individual and business owner can and should do what they can in their daily lives to promote a more sustainable environment.
Perhaps because large corporations have proven hesitant to commit to the type of large-scale change that would aid the fight against the climate crisis, everyday people have taken it into their own hands to help reduce waste. Considering the average person throws away around five pounds of trash per day — 12 percent of which is plastic — it’s no wonder that more people are scrutinizing their consumption habits and trying to be more environmentally conscious. Further, consumers use this issue as a “vote with your dollar” initiative, largely favoring companies whose values are reflected in their business practices, especially when they protect the planet.
Why you should make your business greener
Besides the fact that making your business more sustainable will benefit the environment, changing your business model can also benefit your business. According to a 2020 IBM study, consumers care about going green. Over half of the consumers surveyed said that they both cared about sustainability, and were willing to change their shopping habits in order to reduce environmental impact. At the same time, over 70 percent of respondents said they would be willing to pay more if it meant buying from brands that were more environmentally responsible.
According to research from IBM, consumers are more likely to shop at businesses that adopt sustainable practices, with over half of consumers being willing to change their purchasing habits in order to benefit the planet (IBM, 2020).
In a 2020 publication, the New Zealand-based Sustainable Business Network published the benefits of switching to a more sustainable business model. As more resources become finite, switching to a more environmentally conscious model allows businesses to adapt better to unusual circumstances, while staying on top of emerging trends and technology.
Apart from sustainability being beneficial to long-term business development, adopting a greener business model also allows for the development of a more solid business reputation. Further, promoting how your company values environmental consciousness will not only attract more patrons but will also help you to attract and retain staff who are more passionate about the work they do.
How to adopt a more sustainable business model
Every conversation about green living returns to the basics: reduce, reuse, recycle. On their website, the Environmental Protection Agency outlines ways to reduce waste at home, school, work, and in your community.
One suggestion for encouraging a sustainable business takes a page from 2020’s book: maintain remote work options, and allow workers to do work that can be done remotely to do so. Doing this reduces traffic and helps to negatively impact the carbon footprint, while also being a more accessible option for employees trying to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Removing the time it takes employees to commute to work not only benefits the planet but will also benefit their work ethic by allowing them to have more free time to adapt their schedule around.
Another way that businesses can be more sustainable is by incorporating more recycled products into their businesses, while also working to reduce and reuse the materials on hand, rather than opting to buy entirely new products. For startups and small businesses, making your own paper is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly easy, and this recycled product can be used to add a green, personal touch to any product that requires paper.
For plastics and glass products: try to upcycle and reuse what you have as much as possible. According to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency, less than one-fourth of plastics generated in 2018 were recycled, with almost all of the rest ending up in landfills. So, liven up your workplace with some DIY’d plant pots and organizers to reduce the amount of waste your business is producing.
Finally, encourage consumers to help you in the fight against climate change. Many states have banned single-use bags, or offer them with a fee. Offer reusable bags, and incentivize customers to remember to bring them back using some kind of small reward system. By extension, provide customers with ways they can recycle and reduce waste in their own lives!
How to get started
Green change starts with small steps. Find ways that you can reduce waste and save energy in your business, whether it be reusing products, or reducing the amount of single-use waste used by your business. Make these changes apparent to your patrons in order to allow them a look into the values that uphold your business, and in turn, see their own values reflected in your business and work.
In order to start building your reputation as a green company, make it easier for consumers to do their homework. Let your customers know by making information about the steps your business is taking to be more sustainable easy to find, either in your business, or online! Create promotions that highlight your dedication to sustainability, such as providing coupons for those with reusable bags, or donating a portion of your profits to environmental protection organizations. The impacts of these smalls steps adopted over time not only will benefit the performance of your business but will also be kinder to the planet and its invaluable resources.
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