Everyone can likely agree that a lot is going on in the world right now. Expand that to the globe. There is a considerable amount of environmental change occurring that is spurring on other shifts, both in personal as well as business ideology. Now narrow that focus back down and center it directly onto your business.
As Dee Agarwal states, “Sustainability and environmental consciousness are more than just marketing buzzwords”. When creating and revising your business model, consider a new priority or reprioritization of the global impact of companies upon the environment, specifically yours.
Aside from the obvious benefit of staving off further global warming and any resulting environmental crises that result from it, people will notice your efforts. Make a bold and meaningful mission statement about what your company does regarding the products or services offered in addition to what it will do for immediate and long-term impactful environmental change. Consumers are voting with their dollars and seeking out more and more companies with similar values to create a relationship with. Oftentimes, consumers keep coming back to the same company when they have similar values along with quality services and products. They feel good when they make responsible choices.
Achieve a competitive advantage within your trade by going green. There is a multitude of ways to make small, incremental changes within all aspects of business for the benefit of the climate. One key way to make a change is in how people meet with each other. The global pandemic has taught us that in-person meetings are not as essential as they used to be. Remote work along with remote meetings are just as valuable and productive when utilizing online platforms. Additionally, the act of reducing travel both to faraway meetings and daily transportation to and from the office will contribute to considerable carbon footprint offsets.
Here is a useful infographic regarding carbon offsets.
https://images.app.goo.gl/2VBGYWnX8AixvXbd7
When you go environmental, get the word out. Engage in active social media campaigns and advertising models that show both your current audience and your prospective audience what you do and why you do it. Be open about how your company packages products. Are the labels and tags recyclable? How are you contributing to or lessening global waste? Are you offsetting your carbon footprint by planting trees? Do you have any goals to go carbon neutral at your offices? What about at your production sites?
Establish internal goals and timelines for all of these questions. Collaborating with companies that already do this is a proactive next step. Changing production models and sometimes suppliers can be lengthy processes. Finding a mentor to guide you will have an impact on your company’s success and longevity with environmentally-friendly changes. When the rest of the world has been doing things only one way for so long, all of the infrastructures are keyed to support that narrow vision. Sometimes making incremental changes and gaining a foothold on a new path will be beneficial. You’ll still have to continue to grow your business during all of these changes. Once your name becomes associated with increased environmental awareness, it will be easier to access and align your brand with more earth-friendly options.
While you may not be able to make the one great change that will change the world, you are able to make small changes daily that will have a positive impact over time. Start today for a better tomorrow.
