Not long ago, many people would have erroneously considered sustainability to be a buzzword, something entirely fabricated in order to derive sales under the pretense of delivering a cleaner, healthier, and therefore superior product. However, most customers were suspicious. After all, it’s not unheard of for brands to exaggerate their ethical pursuits, or even make downright false claims. However, in recent years this has changed. Customers are not only more open towards green choices, they actively seek them out. Some may even refuse to purchase anything if the product choice doesn’t align with their expectations.
This is not surprising given growing concerns regarding climate change, a globally spread phenomenon which comes with significant disastrous effects, such as loss of biodiversity, more frequent extreme weather conditions, like heat waves that don’t let out, as well as floods or drought. The global community is also at an increased risk of food insecurity, with areas that are already disenfranchised hit hardest. There’s also a heightened incidence of diseases brought on by changing weather patterns, including both infectious causes and chronic conditions that are exacerbated by rising temperatures.
When looking at the facts soberly and objectively, it becomes obvious that customers would gravitate towards eco-friendly products and steer clear from those that were produced using unsustainable materials or whose manufacturing process released a large quantity of emissions into the atmosphere.
Here are some of the trends that are influencing sustainability, and why you should consider adopting them into your own policy if you’re a business owner.
Quality over quantity
In the past, this mentality used to be the norm. You’ve probably heard your parents or grandparents expressing this sentiment growing up, that it’s preferable to get something that’s high-quality and durable and which will serve you for years to come, rather than settle for many items of poorer quality. It’s true that in the case of the former the purchasing fees are generally higher, but the costs balance themselves out given the prolonged period of time during which you can use the qualitative product.
Over the years, however, that philosophy has shifted towards its opposite, the idea that the more the better. This outlook has dominated the market for decades, but recently there has been a market shift towards the earlier mentality. People are more conscious of the waste poor-quality products that become obsolete or don’t serve their purpose after only a few uses create, and so they make a deliberate choice to stay away from that.
If you want to make sure that your company resonates with the buyers, make sure to integrate quality as one of the core values of your business. Make sure you deliver well-made products that could serve the buyers for a long period of time. Make sure to tick that box, as well as those regarding the overall ethics and inclusivity of your product, and you’ve started the first steps to creating a brand that clients can trust.
Diminish carbon footprint
One of the main challenges businesses have to face is reducing their emissions. Ideally, everyone should aim for zero-carbon in order to combat the effects of climate change as effectively as possible. Because of this it’s not enough only to consider creating your product lines from renewable sources. You also need to adopt sustainable solutions within the company. You can start small, by removing the over reliance on paper, for example. You can also take measures to reduce the amount of indoor lighting and heating used during daylight or in the warmer months, respectively. This is not only helpful for the environment, it also helps you cut back on the costs and bills.
One area where you need to consider adopting climate-friendly alternatives as soon as possible is waste management. The sheer quantity of trash that is produced globally is too gigantic for the human mind to properly understand, but it’s sufficient to know that it is impacting our environment. When you’re a business owner, you have a responsibility towards your clientele, as well as your employees and the world at large to decrease your impact. When it comes to waste balers and compactors, you should choose Miltek in NZ if you’re looking for a solution that can take care of all forms of waste, including cardboard or plastic.
When you elect to recycle the waste produced at your business, you save time, money and space. There’s a wide range of options available depending on the size of your business and the waste volume that needs to be managed. For example, for smaller enterprises such as retailers, manufacturers or food handlers, a bale size that can support quantities ranging from 35 to 120 kg should be more than able to do the job perfectly. However, for larger businesses like warehouses, distribution centers, recyclers and logistics, larger apparatus is required, you’ll need apparatus that can support up to 500 kg of waste.
When you take the necessary steps to reduce your carbon emissions and make your company more environmentally efficient, it reduces the overall business costs, helps create innovative strategies, and improves your brand reputation among customers. These are all very valuable aspects that, in the long run, will help your business grow and develop. And what’s better than developing in a way that’s in harmony with the natural world and seeks to protect it?
The bottom line
In an ever-changing world, both individuals and commercial entities must take the necessary steps to see that the environment is protected and their activities minimize, if not entirely eliminate any kind of damage. This isn’t something that can be done overnight, and as an increasing number of people become more aware, ecological practices are going to be employed in larger numbers all over the world. When you’re an entrepreneur you must also be careful to not alienate market segments and drive people away. When you choose to place the onus on the way your business approaches environmental issues, you take a step in the right direction for how to run your business more efficiently. By helping the world, you help yourself.
