The climate crisis has shown us that businesses cannot carry on as they were. Customers expect more of companies now, and sustainability is a critical issue for many consumers when choosing new businesses to use and work with. As a start-up business owner, you are in a unique position to structure your business around sustainability and begin with the right mindset and habits to have long-term, sustainable success.
To be a truly sustainable business, you'll need to consider all parts of your operation with sustainability in mind. Think about how you can change and adjust your practices and ways of thinking so that you develop the best possible sustainability policies.
Build Sustainability Into Your Core Values
Having sustainability as one of your core values will signal to employees, customers and other businesses that you're serious about helping to tackle the climate crisis. The core values of your business are the building blocks on which your company is founded, so consider them carefully to ensure they align with your own beliefs. You will need to implement policies that show that your sustainability values are more than just lip service.
Ban Single-Use Plastic From Your Office
One way you can ensure everyone's compliance is by being clear about your expectations, and banning single-use plastic can be an excellent way to do this.
There are things you can do as an employer to help encourage no single-use plastic brought into the office. First, you should let employees know that you aim to eliminate the use of single-use items and provide workable alternatives to help them achieve this goal. For instance, you should ensure there is metal cutlery available in your office kitchen to reduce the chances of customers using plastic alternatives with their lunches.
Cut Down On Business Trips
Travelling for business is another practice that can cause significant emissions, increasing your business's carbon footprint. Thanks to the rise of video conferencing technology, there is less need for business meetings to take place in person. This can save you and your employees time and money and lower your overall impact on the environment.
Eliminate Waste
Waste is often a fact of life in a business environment, but it doesn't have to be. Wasting resources, time and energy can be detrimental to your business, particularly in the first months of operation when profit margins and cash flow can be very tight. Eliminating waste will have the dual benefits of making your business more likely to succeed and preventing issues of unsustainability.
There are many ways you can eliminate waste in the workplace with a view to increasing sustainability. You should ensure that you have a suitable recycling scheme in place where all unwanted paper, plastic and glass can be appropriately disposed of. You should also resell and donate old or unwanted electronics and office furniture.
Make Your Business Fully Remote
Remote working has exploded in popularity in recent years, and many businesses have seen the benefits in employee engagement, satisfaction and productivity. Working from home means that employees don't waste hours of their days on the commute, meaning they're more engaged when they begin their working day.
In addition to improving the work-life balance of your employees, remote work can reduce your business's carbon footprint significantly. There will be fewer cars on the road causing emissions, and there will be no energy required to heat and power an office space.
Expand Your Knowledge Of The Latest Sustainability Practices
As a business leader, it is your job to ensure you understand the latest best practices in sustainability. There are many online learning options available to help you make the right choices and keep your business sustainable.
You should look for options from recognised, world-leading institutions that will provide you with the best possible skills and knowledge, such as from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. CISL offers a business sustainability management online short course which is an ideal choice for any aspiring sustainable business leader.
Create An Energy Efficient Office
If having an office space is critical to your business operations, you should find ways to make it as energy efficient as possible. This means implementing workable practices into your office culture to ensure there is no unnecessary energy usage. Simple practices like switching off sockets at the end of the day can do a lot to reduce unnecessary energy use. This will save you money on your energy bills and help reduce unsustainability at work.
Hold Green Challenges
Encouraging your employees to be green is critical to helping your business thrive with sustainability. A great way to help your employees see the ways that they can become more sustainable is through green challenges. You could run office challenges that reward employees for showing green initiatives. This could be business related, such as a competition to develop a new way of working that reduces energy inefficiency, or non-work related, like challenging employees to reduce meat consumption for a month.
Host Sustainability Events
Hosting sustainability events can be a great way to gain recognition among the business community and show your dedication to fighting climate change. You could sponsor a sustainable charity and host an event on their behalf or organise a local business sustainability summit, where business leaders can gather and share advice and ideas to help tackle climate change.
Find Renewable Energy Providers
Renewable energy is a relatively new sector that looks set to grow in leaps and bounds as businesses work to become more sustainable. Rather than drawing on traditional, finite resources, renewable energy can be sourced from wind farms, among other options. You should research local energy providers to find options that utilise renewable energy. You may find that renewable energy is more expensive than traditional offerings, but the benefits will far outweigh the costs.
Partner With Sustainable Vendors And Suppliers
Who you choose to work with can say a lot about a business. If sustainability is a crucial focus for you, you should ensure that you work with companies with similar goals. Any business connection should be chosen with care, which is no different when selecting sustainable partners. You should research local businesses that offer quality products and services while keeping a focus on sustainability.
Include Greenery In Your Office Space
Greenery in your business not only has a significant impact on the environment but also improves health and wellbeing in the office. Adding plants to your working environment can make it a better place to work by improving productivity and easing stress. You can start with some low-maintenance plants dotted around the office, like ferns, cacti and succulents. You can also encourage employees to bring in plants for their own workstations.
Educate Your Team
The more your team knows and understands sustainability, the better they will be able to incorporate the practices into their daily work and personal lives. When onboarding new team members, you should include training on sustainability and how their actions affect your business and the broader goal of tackling the climate crisis. You should look for quality courses and resources to empower employees to lead the sustainability charge.
