Are you at the beginning of your business journey? If so, now is the ideal time to make sure your business has sustainable practices from the get go!
Reports show women are already disproportionately affected by global warming, with food shortages and financial insecurity piling pressure on primary caregivers. In order to counteract this effect, business start-ups must play a big part in working towards a greener future. Implementing greener business practices is no longer a question of ‘why?’ but a ‘how?’
Here are some key ways your business can put sustainability at its heart, and contribute to a brighter future:
Trace your supply chain
Your supply chain is the network of companies and people that supply everything from your raw materials and packaging to your digital services. Look deeper than just their sources and check that the companies you’re using share your values in aspects such as policy.
Be aware of your digital footprint
Online activity is fuelled by thousands of servers which use electricity and produce C02. According to The Financial Times, if every person in the UK sent one less email a day, it would save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year – equal to tens of thousands of flights to Europe!
Take a look at your internal communication and research options. Programmes like Slack & Teams could be more sustainable for your business than sending emails.
Another consideration is green web hosting – choosing a more environmentally friendly hosting service for your website. Find out more about this here.
Know your carbon footprint
Knowledge is power. Getting to grips with your carbon footprint will allow you to manage emissions far more effectively than guesswork, and help you to achieve the coveted Net Zero status (zero carbon footprint). This article by the FSB details how to calculate yours.
For the emissions you can’t eliminate, look into carbon offsetting options.
Design your workplace
Start as you mean to go on. For the workspace, think light-saving bulbs, insulation, water saving practices, recycle bins and lower paper usage. When it comes to workplace culture, implement remote working, cycle schemes, and zero waste days.
Be transparent about your quest for sustainability with your employees. Giving the WHY behind the choices will increase the likelihood that they will adopt the same practices, which brings us on to the next point.
Recruit the right people
Ready to recruit? Hire those who share your values for sustainability and will adopt your practices and share your vision. Putting green values at the top of your employee checklist can bring in people who can influence new policies and contribute towards your goals.
Review your impact
Measure your impact and set continuous, reachable, yet ambitious targets to ensure you are on track. Enthusiasm is contagious, so communicate goals and stats with your employees and celebrate the milestones. This study by Anthesis showed 53% of workers said that sustainability was a key factor in choosing a company to work for.
Want to know more? The FSB has some great resources on building your business sustainably – find out more here.
The Women’s Organisation offer fully funded training in business and personal development for those in the Liverpool City Region. View our June & July programme of events here. If you’re looking for business support in the Liverpool City Region get in touch today via hello@thewo.org.uk or call us on 0151 706 8111.