As a new business owner, you have a lot on your plate and mind. However, one important initiative you can’t afford to overlook is sustainability, especially these days when consumers are demanding it.
It’s going to help you run a better business, will make your customers happy, and might even save you money in the long run. Here are six ways to incorporate sustainability into your new business and ensure you’re maintaining your social corporate responsibility.
1. Set Clear Goals
Start by setting clear goals for what you want to do and achieve as it relates to sustainability at your business. Establish objectives and know what type of improvements you want to make and how you’ll do so. For instance, maybe you wish to make your products or packaging more sustainable or go green with your shipping and delivery practises. You may even want to go as far as obtaining a legit green business certification. Write these goals down and share them with your leadership team so that you can work together to make them happen. Not only document your goals and review them often but also track your progress by having metrics in place to know how you’re doing and how well you’re keeping up with it.
2. Hire Dedicated Employees & Get Them On Board
Another way to incorporate sustainability into your new business is to get your employees on board. Consider hiring employees who care about these objectives and who are passionate about improving the environment from a business standpoint. You can learn how to register as an employer so you can begin hiring and building a team who cares. This way you can avoid employing staff for the first time being a confusing and complicated matter. Once they’re on board then engage and encourage them to express sustainability in what they do at work.
3. Make it Part of the Culture & Office Environment
Your staff will be more likely to work toward fulfilling your goals when you make sustainability part of the company culture and office environment. It’ll also help you to stick with it and not let it fall to the wayside when you get busy. Incorporate steps and actions into your organisation’s strategic management process and always lead by example so others follow in your footsteps. Take measures such as opting for better office products, adding greenery around the office to boost air quality, and thinking about your lighting choices. You may also want to make charitable contributions on behalf of your business.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Incorporate sustainability into your new business by committing to reducing, reusing, and recycling. Establish programs and have marked bins around the office so your staff knows where and what to recycle. Also, cut down on paper use and take advantage of more technology solutions instead. Try to use less energy at the office and aim for paperless billing. Reduce waste overall by having real dishes in the break room and reusing boxes instead of throwing them out right away. Consider if you can use both sides of the paper if you must print as well.
5. Establish & Communicate Best Practises
If you want your business and employees to help you run a more sustainable company then you should establish and communicate best practises. It may be by making sure the lights are always turned off when you’re not in the room or office and by taking notes electronically instead of on paper. You may also wish to choose to do business with green businesses that are working toward sustainability goals as well. Another idea is to establish green web hosting services since you can ultimately choose where your data is stored. Use sustainable products yourself and make use of secondhand finds and options. If you’re a company that likes to hand out a lot of swag then make sure it’s sustainable.
6. Offer Remote Work
If you want to become a more sustainable new business then consider offering remote work. As more and more tasks are completed online there will be less of a need to have your workers physically in the office and using energy. Remote working is great for the environment in that there are fewer cars on the road so less carbon dioxide is emitted into the air and you’re using less equipment, energy, and heat at the office. In addition to remote work, you may also want to consider providing public transportation commuter benefits for those who need to come in to work so they can ride the bus or train instead of driving.
Photography by Annie Spratt
