The Benefits of Becoming a Sustainable Business

Jori Hamilton - Contributing Writer

Posted on Tuesday 8th February 2022

The Benefits of Becoming a Sustainable Business

Sustainability is at the forefront of almost everyone’s minds nowadays. Making your business more sustainable should be a top priority for a variety of reasons. Not only is it better for the environment, but it can benefit your brand, your bottom line, and increase your target audience. 

Many consumers are more eco-conscious as threats of climate change and too much waste become bigger problems in our society. Unfortunately, those same consumers realize there’s only so much they can do on a small scale to make a difference. They rely on organizations and businesses to make bigger environmentally-friendly impacts, so they can support those efforts

If you haven’t yet considered making your business practices more sustainable, now is a perfect time. 

Still need convincing? Let’s cover some of the benefits you can expect when you become a sustainable business. 

Cost Reduction and Savings

Once upon a time, businesses didn’t want to get involved in sustainable practices because it was assumed they cost more. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Not only can being more eco-friendly reduce your business’s carbon footprint but your costs, too. With a few upfront investments, you can end up saving money almost immediately by changing a few of your practices. Some money-saving examples include:

  • Installing solar panels (you can even get government rebates!)

  • Using energy-efficient appliances

  • Cutting down on paper and plastic supplies

  • Allowing employees to work remotely

Even small changes can make a big difference in how much energy — and money — you save. Things like upgrading your lightbulbs and reducing unnecessary energy consumption throughout your business’s building will lower your energy bills each month. 

Changing your office’s atmosphere can also add to the sustainability of your business and improve employee morale all at once — while saving money. Consider bringing in some plants for your office space. They help to filter the air, reduce noise pollution, and reduce radiation. Plus, they have plenty of mental health benefits that will keep your employees happy and more productive. They’ll cut down on your costs when it comes to air filtration and keep everyone breathing easily!

You’ll Build a Better Brand

When you’ve taken the initiative to build a sustainable business, make sure you market it to the masses. 

Green brands immediately have a competitive edge over companies that aren’t making sustainability a priority. More customers are looking for brands that line up with their personal values. By marketing yourself as sustainable, you’ll build trust with your existing customers and attract a new target audience that may not have known about you before. 

Some of the best ways to build a sustainable brand and market your eco-friendly efforts include:

  • Focusing on relevant environmental issues

  • Avoiding greenwashing

  • Making your commitment known in all of your advertising

  • Taking action and showing how your business is helping the planet

In addition to attracting more customers, your sustainability efforts might also gain the attention of investors. In 2020, sustainable investments in the U.S. rose to $17 trillion. That’s up 42% from 2018, and it’s a trend that shows no sign of slowing down. 

An Improved Company Culture

A successful business needs happy, motivated, loyal employees. Creating a corporate culture that values sustainability will not only help with your bottom line but can improve overall morale. Happy employees mean greater success. 

But, how can “going green” improve your company culture? 

First, your employees will feel good about making a difference. Remember, the people who work for/with you are consumers, too. They care about the environment just as much as everyone else and want to do their part to make a difference. If they’re able to do that on a larger scale through a bigger business, that can improve their mood and make them more loyal to the company. 

Creating a sustainable business will also keep your employees more engaged in their local community. Whether you have a central location or employees working remotely across the globe, your business can create opportunities for them to reduce, reuse, recycle, and save energy. When people see how their efforts are doing something good in their own backyard, they’re more likely to stay motivated and eager to do more. 

Consider having a little fun with your employee sustainability efforts. If you’re all in one office, host monthly competitions for who can recycle the most, or who can come up with a new “green” idea for the workplace. It’s important that people see how easy it is to be more sustainable. When you establish that culture in the workplace, they’re more likely to take those habits with them into their personal lives. 

Building a sustainable business will improve office morale, save you money, and improve positive brand recognition for new audiences. Plus, it’s hard not to feel good about doing something beneficial for the planet. If you’ve been on the fence about making greener moves, now is a perfect time to do it — and start reaping the rewards. 

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