TOP TIPS ON HOW TO START YOUR ECO JOURNEY AS A SMALL BUSINESS

Lot of small businesses are beginning to consider the benefits of becoming more eco friendly in their business practises. Below we share some key tips on how to begin that journey. 

1. Be Genuine 

Our biggest tip is to ensure your intentions are honourable and genuine because the vast majority of customers who seek out sustainable businesses have built in 'greenwashing' detectors!

2. Start small

You dont need to make grand gestures to kickstart your Eco journey. Just changing small things like your packing tape can make a big difference!

3. Educate yourself and your customers

Follow other established Eco businesses and influencers. I have picked up invaluable tips from such accounts especially in terms of what is really important to Eco focused customers

4. Start with a Brain Dump

Critically evaluate your business and consider how it can be more energy efficient and work towards zero waste. Consider things like energy usage, paper usage, digital storage, packaging and recycling.

5. Take Regular inventory

Make sure you take regular inventory on all raw materials, stationery and packaging. Only purchase what you really need especially packaging. Less deliveries means less carbon emissions - remember small steps can make huge differences

6. Be A Green Procurer

Seek out businesses with 'green' credentials. Shop around , ask other green businesses for recommendations on suppliers. Most importantly - shop local as much as possible and keep those air miles down.

7. Share resources

Can you buddy up with other businesses with similar packaging etc? We buddy up with 2 other businesses and share packaging and raw material deliveries. We take it in turn to order and receipt the deliveries. It saves on cost and fuel!

8. Have an established recycling ethos

Have clear recycling goals. Mark your recycling areas and be diligent about ensuring they are properly utilised. Consider reusing cardboard boxes you have received deliveries in along with the fillers. Reuse scrap paper as notepaper. Look into Recycle for KC and Terracyle who accept waste not normally allowed in Blue Bin recycling. We recycle our used nitrile gloves which we cant avoid wearing via Terracycle for example.

9. Consider car sharing

If you have employees review their fuel usage. Can you encourage car sharing, working from home etc? I share car journeys with fellow market traders and it works really well.

10. Establish Paperless Billing and Accounting

Establish email invoicing for your customers to eliminate needless waste. Consider apps such as ReceiptBank (now Dent) and Quickbooks to manage your accounts which digitally manage your invoicing.

And finally, research, research, research!!  Advances are being made all the time in terms of sustainable practises so keep up with emerging trends within the world of sustainability and make small determined steps. Small things make a big difference.