It’s no secret that businesses are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact. With consumers continuing to prioritize sustainability in their purchasing habits, companies everywhere are moving towards eco-friendly business practices and partnerships.
By joining this ongoing trend towards sustainability in business, you can open yourself up to a host of benefits that serve you AND your company.
But, what is an eco-conscious business? Green companies are those who demonstrate a commitment to an environmentally sustainable future, and who strive to make a positive impact on their community*. Some of the ways this can be achieved are by:
NOW, HOW ABOUT THOSE BENEFITS? Here are seven tremendous advantages of sustainability partnerships that will serve you, your business and our beautiful planet.
It’s time to get serious about reducing your carbon footprint. With the continued depletion of the earth’s natural resources, global carbon emissions continuing to increase, and staggering levels of individual and corporate waste, we’re at a crucial juncture in time, where combating our collective environmental impact is paramount.
By making a commitment to partner with eco-conscious businesses, you not only reduce your carbon footprint, but you support a growing cultural shift towards sustainability in business.
Eco-conscious companies often incorporate environmentally friendly production processes into their operation, limiting their environmental impact at multiple steps throughout the process. For example, lean manufacturing, a systematic method to reduce waste and boost productivity in the manufacturing industry, is employed by sustainable businesses across the world. Designed and developed by Toyota, it is used to help companies achieve maximum efficiency.
Heightened efficiency + streamlined production=less stress for you, the consumer.
When you partner with companies who make use of these green production processes, you give yourself the gift of happiness and health. Teaming up with an efficient manufacturer means you’re going to get your product on time, your order is going to be precise and accurate, and you won’t have to endure the damaging effects of stress and panic.
We all know the feeling. You place an order, and excited that it has just arrived, you race to retrieve it and tear into the box. Buried under piles of plastic and styrofoam is your long-awaited product, ready to be enjoyed. But, what to do with all this excessive packaging? The guilt sets in as you make your way to the garbage, about to dispose of piles of waste 10 times the volume of your actual order.
BUT, it doesn’t have to be this way.
With eco-conscious suppliers, excessive packaging is expressly avoided, allowing you and your business to be responsible for a minimized output of waste. Plus, packaging is often made up of recycled materials, a feature that the majority of consumers prefer. In fact, 78% of customers between the ages of 18-72 felt more positive about a product whose packaging was made up of recycled items**. There’s a reason they all agree-by limiting your waste output, you save yourself hassle while also saving the earth.
Eco-friendly companies are big on reusability. When you opt for reusable products, you save SO much money simply by avoiding pay per use costs. Think about it. Instead of paying for the same product over and over again, you could limit your spending and just buy it once. Seems like a no-brainer, right?
Take plastic water bottles, for example. Even if you only purchase them sparingly, about $5 worth per week, that’s still an extra $260 per year that you could easily save by opting for a reusable bottle. And those are the savings for just ONE consumer. Imagine if an entire company made the switch-the savings would be extraordinary. With such a massive return on investment on such an easy swap, reusable products are the obvious choice.
Think about the ways you could reuse-ify your life. You might be surprised at just how many reusable options are out there.
Have you ever read the list of ingredients on a product, only to realize you have no idea what any of them actually mean? Long lists of confusing chemicals are never a great sign when you’re trying to protect yourself from toxic materials and pollutants. From kitchen utensils to household soaps, consumer products are often packed full of harmful materials that you don’t want anywhere near you, or your employees.
With sustainable companies, you’ll often see a push towards plant-based materials. Not only do these products limit your exposure to toxic substances, but their production processes reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide and they have a much lighter impact on the environment when they’re disposed of.
Small businesses and large corporations alike are quickly moving towards sustainability through concerted environmental initiatives. Companies such as Google, Nike, Ebay and Starbucks are just some of those making an effort to reduce their environmental impact through corporate action.
Partnering with a sustainable manufacturer is a great way to fulfill your company’s environmental goals. Not only are you reducing your collective carbon footprint and promoting eco-friendly business practices, but you’re getting a great product out of it that will serve your business.
When you partner with sustainable businesses or use sustainable products, you show the world that your company takes environmentalism seriously and is making an effort to reduce its impact. This commitment is greatly appreciated by the modern consumer, with customers reporting much greater loyalty to companies who tackle environmental concerns.
In a 2017 study surveying 1,000 American customers, 88% reported that they would be more loyal to a company who supports social or environmental issues, and 92% would be more likely to trust them***. When you invest in the environment, you invest in yourself.
Sources:
*Fundera.com/blog/eco-friendly-small-business-ideas
**Greenbusinessbureau.com/blog/10-advantages-of-green-packaging-to-the-environment
***Forbes.com//2018/11/21/do-customers-really-care-about-your-environmental-impact
