How to Become an Ethical and Sustainable Business

People are becoming more and more conscious about the products they use, where they come from and how they are produced. With plastic pollution, climate change and workers’ rights becoming frequent topics in the news, businesses are being increasingly pushed towards becoming more ethical and sustainable. These are now important business traits that consumers are looking for when they decide to use your services or purchase your products. Being able to brand your business as sustainable and ethical will give you a definite market advantage and has the potential to increase your customer base. But what does running a sustainable and ethical business look like? Here are some top tips to get you started.

Reduce Plastic Use

The world is waging a war on plastic. And rightly so. It’s on our streets, in our oceans and is even being found in the food we eat. Making the switch from plastic packaging to more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives, like paper, glass or other biodegradable materials, is simple. There are plastic products in areas of your business that you wouldn’t even think twice about; cleaning, toilet paper wrapping, even the coffee capsules you use in the office. Have a think about the plastic products you use in your business and the sustainable alternatives you could replace them with.

Source Locally

Whilst importing and buying products from further afield can be incredibly cheap, the emissions released during the transportation of goods greatly adds up and contributes to climate change. Instead of buying materials from large companies and having to transport them across the country (or continent), find a local source. This will cut the carbon footprint of your business and boost the local economy at the same time.

Take Care of Your Staff

Staff are the lifeline of a business; a beehive with no worker bees wouldn’t produce any honey, but as the queen bee, you have to look after the rest of your hive. Having staff that are happy and healthy will boost productivity and income, which is why corporate health screenings are essential. Provide your staff with a corporate health check at Echelon Health, where you are guaranteed a quality service and continued support, showing that you care about the health and wellbeing of your staff.

Recycle and Donate

Recycling is possibly one of the easiest ways to become more sustainable, yet it is something that many businesses still dismiss. Recycle as much of your waste as possible, no matter whether it is from customers, staff or production. Another huge mistake made by many businesses is throwing away produce that can no longer be sold or used. Donating your waste to those who need it can provide you with positive publicity whilst benefiting the community. If you don’t have product to donate, volunteering time, hosting fundraisers or simply donating money are other ways of showing that you are an ethical business, thinking about the community you belong to and giving them something back.

People are making choices with environmental impact and workers’ welfare in mind, and to survive as a business, you must also adapt to these changes and this new way of thinking by becoming transparently ethical and sustainable.