Many small businesses might think that choosing the more responsible route isn’t always an option, since it entails huge costs that can otherwise be allocated for operational expenses. However, that’s really not the case. While it may be difficult to open a purely sustainable or green business due to costs and industry type, small businesses can still take part in the enlightenment of the public when it comes to environmental awareness and responsibility. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at how even small businesses can open up a sustainable venture.
What Makes A Business Sustainable
Harvard Business School notes that business sustainability is achieved by practicing specific strategies that have positive effects on the environment and on society. Moreover, when a company fails to assume responsibility and neglect their duties when it comes to humanity and the planet in general, they do the opposite and become more of a burden to society.
With this definition in mind, it’s now a lot clearer to determine what could make small businesses sustainable. Read on if you want to know a few ways you can do it yourself.
- Implement proper waste management
One of the biggest issues for corporations, and even smaller businesses, when it comes to environmental awareness is waste management. Big factories contribute too much to air and water pollution that affects our planet’s ability to heal itself and sustain life on earth. We are already aware of what these bad practices are doing to our oceans and our climate. So even as a small business, we must take responsibility for making sure that our waste does not end up doing harm.
Segregate waste and contact your local government to find the best ways you can throw your garbage away. If you want to have an even more active approach when it comes to waste management, you can start recycling or upcycling your stuff and try to reduce waste whenever possible.
- Use sustainable packaging
If you are a product-based small business, then one way you can advocate for sustainability is by only using sustainable packaging to ship your products to different parts of the world. There are now a lot of packaging companies that make such materials available out of recycled paper and whatnot. Through using sustainable packaging, you are minimizing the use of plastics that only get thrown away after receiving purchased items. You will find that many customers appreciate this simple move.
- Patronize suppliers that are making an effort for the environment, too
Aside from using sustainable packaging, you can also do one step further and only do business with suppliers that also have sustainability practices in place. Such practices could be as simple as proper waste management all the way to making products that are reliable and at the same time eco-friendly, too. By doing so, you are encouraging other ventures to keep up their sustainability practices and help others realize the importance of such practices.
- Use renewable energy
Another way your small business can become more sustainable is by using renewable energy aka solar, wind, or water to power up your offices, stores, or factories. Renewable energy tends to be a lot cheaper than traditional power sources, so that’s like hitting two birds with one stone. And if you’re not a fan of solar panels, or if you have no way of installing them on your premises, then you can opt for subscription-based solar power providers like https://www.choosesolar.com.
- Guide your employees to make more sustainable choices
If you’re the only person on your team who is serious about making positive changes for the environment in your business, then there’s only so far you can go. To address this, you must also make your employees, teammates, and business partners aware of the need to practice business sustainability. You can do this by regularly holding seminars and teaching them the advantages of such sound business practices. You can even hold small competitions with minimal rewards to encourage your team to take part in this noble pursuit
Business sustainability is one of the best ways to forward positive change for society. If more and more individuals, groups, and corporations pitch in to help the environment, then we are pretty much saved from the possible disastrous effects of doing otherwise. But take it easy. The battle is long and hard, so implement changes one step at a time to ensure proper compliance moving forward.
