How to make small businesses environmentally sustainable

Being conscious of environmental impact is something many businesses are aware of, are starting to be aware of or should be aware of. Changing the way a business operates by making small and large changes can end up having benefits that go further than helping the environment. Here, we discuss the benefits of sustainability and how it is possible to make small businesses environmentally sustainable.

What do we mean by being an environmentally sustainable business?

A business being classed as sustainable means that it is actively taking steps to monitor its processes, replacing the main areas of the business that use the most natural resources, and providing alternative methods in order to conserve these materials for the future.

What are the benefits of being an environmentally sustainable business?

Environmental Benefits

Whilst it is not the only benefit businesses can get from making these changes, the most important is how it directly helps the environment. If businesses of all sizes continue to make changes to become more sustainable, collectively we are in a stronger position to be able to combat severe issues like climate change, the problem of plastic pollution, deforestation, destruction of habitats, and much more.

Economic Benefits

Sustainability can lower your costs in the long run. This is usually because the areas that need to be addressed are those that use the most expensive commodities. So, by reducing the need and lowering the business’ reliance on them, the business’s bottom line can see the benefit. Several studies have found that sustainable businesses often financially outperform those without a sustainability plan in action.

Investment opportunities

With the focus on sustainability becoming increasingly important, those businesses who have sustainability at the heart of what they do can expect to be more of an attractive opportunity to investors.

Staffing and Customer Opportunities

People are becoming more aware of the importance of sustainability and make conscious decisions to associate with brands that have sustainable programs. Having a strong sustainability plan can help you gain loyal new customers and can also be advantageous when hiring. You need staff members that agree with your sustainability plans and can implement and elevate them.

Government funding opportunities

Whilst this is not a guaranteed benefit, there are several ways the government is trying to help businesses who are making sustainable choices, for example, the climate change levy, the electric car scheme, and more. The government has pledged to make major changes to help reduce our carbon footprint and therefore needs to work together with businesses to achieve this.

How can small businesses become environmentally sustainable?

Now that we know just some of the benefits of being sustainable, here are some ways businesses can start putting ideas into practice:

Create a plan and set goals

It can be difficult to achieve something when you don’t have a sufficient plan in place and this is the same for putting sustainability into action. Before you start, sit down and create a plan which includes specific goals for what the business needs to achieve and what the timeframe for this will be. Having this plan will help you when it comes to monitoring your progress as you can check to see if you are still within your timeframe and whether your goals are still realistic or need amending.

Ensure its part of the company culture

The companies that succeed the most at sustainability are those that have sustainability at its core. This can only happen if sustainability becomes an ingrained part of the company culture. All members of staff need to understand what actions the business has taken to be more environmentally friendly and share the responsibility.

Partner with sustainability in mind

Sustainability is not just about internal processes. You have to make sure the businesses you partner with and your suppliers all have the same intentions too. Check that all the suppliers you work with have sustainability practices that align with your own and ensure they are not doing anything that is dramatically harming the environment.

Start small

Sustainability doesn’t have to be expensive or a massive project. You can simply choose a few small changes that are easy to implement and still make a difference. Over time, you can build this up to more significant long-term changes.

Don’t buy new

Where possible, avoid buying things new. Reuse things where possible such as stationary, folders, etc. If you need new equipment, explore your options and see whether it makes more sense to buy something second-hand.

Go paperless

Many companies have successfully been able to go paperless. Not only does this make sense from an environmental point of view, but going digital can also significantly reduce costs. Even if this isn’t a realistic option for you to go completely paperless, try and atleast reduce your paper wastage. This can easily be achieved by printing smarter, such as printing only when necessary, printing in black and white, using recycled paper, and printing double-sided where possible.

Change Energy

Energy use is often the largest sustainability issue for many companies. However, there are still ways you can reduce the negative impact on the environment. Speak to your energy supplier and see if there is a renewable alternative available such as solar or wind. Use meters to monitor which equipment uses the most energy and see what you can do to reduce this amount.

Recycle, recycle, recycle

Make recycling as easy as possible by providing clearly labeled recycling bins and choosing items that are reusable, like reusable bottles for all employees. You might also want to consider recycling schemes that allow employees to bring certain waste from home, such as old electronic items. This can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.

Make small swaps

As we mentioned before, the changes you implement do not necessarily have to be big. Think about the small changes and swaps you can make starting in your office. Swap for greener cleaning products. Remove any disposable cutlery and provide staff with real cutlery and plates instead. All small changes add up.

Support community projects

You don’t have to embark on this sustainability plan on your own. There will probably be community-driven programmes in your local area that you can be a part of. Not only is this great for the public image of your company, but working with other companies can help you create new connections, and potentially make a larger difference.

As this article suggests, there are many benefits for a business to be sustainable and there are also many ways to make small businesses environmentally friendly. Implementing just some of the initiatives and ideas in this article can help businesses on their way to making larger positive environmental changes in the future. Sustainability is becoming an industry standard and will only continue to grow and be expected, so it is vital all businesses have a plan in place to do their bit. By all businesses doing their part, they can improve their profitability, help the environment and collectively make an impact.