*This post is a collaboration, all thoughts on sustainability and the practice of small businesses are my own.
It’s a love affair. It’s quite common that the smaller businesses of this world are actually more sustainable. Why you ask? Well they often have less overheads, meaning they have a tighter grasp on their own team and the quality of their work and a greater accountability when it comes to work ethics. Many of these smaller businesses simply set up because they care and want to provide an alternative to the fast paced, large scale corporations that dominate the industry. This is one of the reasons why I love to support small businesses and shop small wherever possible. So in what ways exactly are these smaller businesses more sustainable and how can they improve on this? Let’s get started.
Create an Environmental Policy
Your business probably has a lot of policies, but does it have an environmental policy? It’s a sure way to lay down the rules and stats that you’d like to achieve from your business. Take it as an exercise to hold yourself accountable to make changes that will have a lasting impact.
Travel & Packaging
Shopping small often equates to less of a travel footprint when it comes to shipment. The likelihood is that your product was made in the individual businesses’ home and therefore hasn’t suffered large export at the cost of our lovely planet. Hoorah for this element but there is more that can be done if the business so chooses to. These businesses can also change their packaging to be more sustainable and now that more companies offer Bespoke packaging for all different business sizes, it’s easier than ever. By using plastic-free packaging, we’re all doing our bit to care for this planet.
Change energy providers
Another way you can be sustainable as a business owner or individual is by checking your energy provider’s source. Do they use renewable energy or are you currently with one of the big six companies that hasn’t made the switch yet? It’s easy, generally similar in cost and a really good way to be more sustainable. If you’re struggling on where to start, you can do some quick searches on the internet to find most answers to these questions and it’s really easy to make a switch.
Check any providers sustainability ethos
Should you source any products externally, you can absolutely ask them for their policies on sustainable methods. Most businesses now have these readily available on their website but if they do not, or they don’t have anything in place then it’s well worth looking elsewhere to source your products or materials.
It’s really important that we consider how we can make sustainability changes to protect our home, the Earth, in our business ventures. By implementing a few of these changes you can make such a big difference. It will also come across absolutely superbly to your audience who will naturally love to support a business that in return, supports our livelihoods.
Violet x
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