Embracing sustainability in your company not only reduces waste but also enhances your brand’s ethical image. While some may fear the cost implications, many sustainable changes are not as expensive as perceived. It’s not always a costly endeavour, as numerous cost-effective measures can be implemented.

In fact, for small businesses, you can make many free or low-cost changes that won’t impact your bottom line or require hefty funds to achieve. Taking a step back and identifying all aspects of your business, you can change or implement greener alternatives, giving you a great base from which to start. If you need help compiling this list or getting started, these simple yet effective methods can be exactly what you need.

Change Energy Suppliers

Switching to an energy supplier that uses renewable sources is a straightforward step towards sustainability. It’s a simple process that can be cost-effective, and once you’ve made the switch, there’s little else to do except keep an eye on your changeover date and pay the bill as usual. This simplicity should reassure you that sustainability is within reach and you can make a significant impact with minimal effort.

Recycle More

Recycling is a free and easy way to increase your eco credentials and ensure that you are reducing your waste and not contributing to landfill issues. You can recycle so many things within your business, including paper, cardboard, electronic waste, bottles, textiles, plastics, metals, and more. This is a simple yet powerful way to make a difference, and it’s within your reach. It likely won’t cost you any more money unless you need to use regular collection services outside of what you currently use, but it’s worth the investment if required to live until you meet your sustainability goals.

Address Your Consumption

This can be different for all businesses, but looking at what you use and consume as a business and reducing it can be a great way actually to save money and cut down on excessive waste. By reducing consumption, you’re contributing to sustainability and saving money. Areas to look into can be things like the packaging you use for your deliveries. Using custom cardboard boxes, for example, that can be reused or recycled at their end destination, can reduce your postage costs and the amount of protection you need to add to boxes without compromising on quality or protection during shipping. Switching over to digital services and not using excessive paper and stationery can reduce consumption, such as implementing a water drinking station, encouraging people to bring water bottles, helping reduce single-use plastics, etc.

Check Your Supply Chain

Lastly, checking your supply chain and asking for their sustainable efforts can ensure that your efforts aren’t in vain and that the right partners can ensure the changes you make have a more significant impact. Talk to them about what initiatives they have in place, such as using more sustainable fuels for travel, using recyclable materials, planting trees, etc. and ensure that these efforts meet the company ethos you are working towards to compound your own efforts.