When starting your firm with an eco-friendly mindset, manufacturing products in a sustainable way will sit at the top of your agenda. However, the difference between goodness and greatness is often about your willingness to go the extra mile. And that means thinking beyond the products.
Creating a more sustainable brand will deliver a wealth of benefits from a commercial perspective as well as a personal one. Better still, launching a new business gives you the perfect opportunity to establish winning habits from day one. Here are 10 ways to make it happen in style.
1- Adopt greener packaging
Manufacturing eco-friendly products is a wonderful thing. Sadly, it loses some of its impacts when the products are packaged in plastics and other harmful materials. Switching to biodegradable solutions will instantly take your eco-friendly nature to new levels.
Greener packaging can include the use of recycled and recyclable materials. Corrugated packaging supplies, recycled paper, glassine packaging, and cornstarch are some examples. Meanwhile, simply finding more compact packaging ideas can work well.
It can be supported by efficient printing techniques and ideas like making the instructions available as a download. You should also remember that this is the first thing customers interact with after buying a product. So, it will set a far better tone.
2- Team with the right companies
In-house operations will set the foundation for building a sustainable company. However, the partnerships formed with other companies that you use will unlock the full potential of going green. Conversely, using companies with outdated practices will spell disaster.
For starters, you need to know that your suppliers are equally committed to sustainability. Meanwhile, choosing courier services that use hybrid or all-electric fleets can work wonders. If they offer partial truckloads that can be shared with other clients, that’s even better.
When eco-friendly companies work together, it rates an even greater impact. Better still, they should find that their efforts subsequently influence other companies. They will need to upgrade their efforts to avoid being left behind. You can help lead the way.
3- Rethink your business operations
As an environmentally conscious entrepreneur, you will naturally look to use LED lights and better energy. While those simple in-house upgrades are pivotal, you must also take the time to consider the impact of your approach to productivity.
The pandemic has shown that the world of business has evolved. Outsource website maintenance, for example, allows you to avoid the need for building a new in-house department. Moreover, improved online output impacts the customer interactions.
As well as outsourcing various tasks, not just web maintenance, you can lose business travel for video conferencing. It saves time and money while simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint. If this doesn’t make your company a greener
4- Embrace digital communications
Business travel isn’t the only aspect of communication that can be improved by going digital. Consumers have become increasingly accustomed to using new channels during the pandemic. In truth, it can go a long way to preventing unnecessary waste.
There are many ways to make this happen. Adopting VoIP telephony systems is a great starting point. Meanwhile, using live chat and social media interactions will aid the cause further. Clear returns and FAQ pages will also prevent the need for clients to visit your store.
Even when it doesn’t feel that the upgrades are designed to promote green habits, increased efficiency will. The fact that consumers will respond better to the improved operations is a bonus that aids sustainability. For the company.
5- Show corporate responsibility
Corporate responsibility is a concept that goes beyond tree planting and using renewable energy, it can cover human issues too.
This could mean supporting charitable causes, locally or internationally. It could also manifest as showing support for fair trade endeavors. You could also get behind worthy political issues and humanitarian efforts.
Aside from aiding the brand, as well as the business operations, it is a great way to bring your team together. Employees want to work for companies that care about the same causes as they do. Besides, some of the events lend themselves to active team building.
6- Recycle and repair
Given the speed at which business evolves, some items need to be replaced on a semi-frequent basis. This is because working with outdated equipment and facilities could damage productivity. Still, you must avoid taking on an unhealthy mindset in other areas.
Actively encouraging employees to recycle is a great starting point. Meanwhile, using tech recycling when losing old items can be supported by offering trade-ins to customers. Crucially, though, you should know when furniture and appliances can be repaired.
Aside from reducing the amount of resources used by the company, it will save time and money. In many cases, repairing items for the office or staff room is preferred by employees. For one thing, it saves them from needing to learn about using the new products.
7- Introduce staff wellness ideas
Staff wellness isn’t only great for employee health. It additionally keeps the company performing at optimal levels. Furthermore, it can have a huge impact on the carbon footprint created by the company and its workforce.
Cycle to work schemes are a popular option that also introduces a healthy level of competition. You can also use a water cooler and reusable water bottles to cut down on plastic usage. Hydration levels aid employee alertness, which is another crucial feature.
On a side note, showing a level of care to employees encourages them to spread this positivity. This can translate to showing greater responsibility while simultaneously providing improved customer interactions. It would be very foolish to overlook this any longer.
8- Stop wasting money
When thinking about sustainability, you shouldn’t limit your thoughts to the planet. It’s equally important to achieve sustained success for the company. Otherwise, you soon won’t have the opportunity to have any positive impact on the planet.
In truth, cutting waste will often result in direct improvements for the environment. Using less water and choosing renewable energy are great examples. Moreover, the savings can subsequently be invested in further updates to create an eco-friendly company.
It should also be noted that a commitment to waste less money can include getting more from equipment and machinery. Sadly, when they are not running at their best performance levels, it wastes energy as they have to work harder. Do not ignore this factor.
9- Celebrate your sustainability
The impacts made directly through running an eco-friendly company are huge. However, for the best results, you should use your position of influence to alter the habits of clients and employees. Not least because they can subsequently influence their loved ones too.
Learning to spread the message of your sustainability initiatives will feed into your branding. Any chance to celebrate awards or recognitions for leading the way in eco-friendly habits should be grabbed with both hands. If nothing else, it validates your efforts.
You cannot expect others to get behind your endeavors if you do not show passion yourself. When you are committed to the cause and incentivize others to feel the same, your overall impact on the business and society as a whole will soar.
10- Be consistent
Finally, the key to going green is to take a consistent approach. Making some changes is better than making zero changes. For the best results, though, you must take a more wholesome approach. When you do, even greater success is guaranteed.
Photography by Sarah Chai
