Making Sustainable Changes in Your Small Business



New research has identified that changes in consumer behaviour dictate how businesses need to be more sustainable and improve their eco-credentials to vie for their business. Consumers have spoken, and 75% of millennials prefer to do business with companies making eco-friendly changes to reduce their impact on the world around them.

Reduce Single-Use Items
Every year, nearly 150 million tonnes of plastic are wasted on single-use items. That's almost four billion people's collective weight. Fortunately, reusable things can easily replace single-use items. Take-out and delivery orders may need single-use items for restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops. Purchase compostable or recyclable plates and cutlery for these orders to help reduce plastic waste. Also, if you own a store, consider using reusable bags instead of single-use plastic bags. Using compostable products reduces your company's carbon footprint. Compostable materials decompose rather than ending up in landfills. There are additional measures to lessen your own team's environmental impact in addition to the trash generated by single-use paper or plastic cups. Avoid using these where possible and switch to more eco-friendly coffee machines.

A Greener Fleet
If you have a fleet, looking at how to make this greener is a high priority. Luckily, you don't need to run out and update your fleet with electric models immediately, but you should consider this if you can. But assessing how your fleet is used, driver habits and fuel consumption can alert you to any excessive waste and help you to make your fleet greener.

Bring Nature In
A crucial component of the ecology, trees and shrubs help to filter pollution and act as pollutant filters. They can also make your business appear more attractive visually. These will not take much time or work aside from occasional watering in dry periods and occasional pruning. They generate oxygen, which helps to improve the air quality, which is critical for you and your employees. Shade from trees can also assist in cooling down your workplace by shielding it from harsh sunshine, resulting in a more comfortable working environment.

Reduce Packaging
Small business sustainability does not end when your products are delivered to customers. You can further lower your carbon impact by employing environmentally friendly shipping procedures. When packing orders, pack your product in the smallest amount of space possible to keep costs down and the amount of space your product takes up in the carrier to a minimum. Because of this, there will be fewer costs, wastage and fewer emissions. Orders should be combined whenever possible. A good idea is to offer discounts for multiple orders to entice people to buy in bulk.

Go Paperless
Switching to digital processes and ways of working can not only save you money but be green too. Use email receipts, digital notes for collaborations, digital invoicing, etc., to help you reduce paper waste, lower your carbon footprint, and save you some money in the process. If you can change how you work to go digital, look at how best to implement this and make the switch sooner rather than later.