How to be a more sustainable business

What are the steps to become a more sustainable business ? First of all, it is small steps. Let’s explore the topic of how to become greener as a business together.

To start with, we need to be aware of the status quo. We currently live in a linear economy – in a system that favours the take-make-waste model. Therefore, extracting ressources, producing goods that at some point land in our landfills. And then ?

What makes a business sustainable ?

Becoming a more sustainable business means to rethink the design of products and services. In other words, shaping loops towards more circular business models that include regenerative practices like reusing and recycling of materials. Therefore, companies need to start taking responsibility on the whole lifecycle of a product. However, today only 8.6 % of our economy is circular. As many businesses try to implement more sustainable practices, some already follow through and apply sustainability in their strategy.

In this article you will learn more about how to be a more sustainable business and how to put it into practice. Did we make you curious already and would you like to book a free zero waste audit with us to discuss how you can become more sustainable as a business ? Then get in touch below:


What is waste in a business environment ?

Waste is material without identity.

If you give this material a new identity though, it is no waste anymore. Let’s take the example of a piece of paper that you printed out by mistake. You can choose to throw it in the bin since it has no use for you or you reuse it as a note paper on the empty side. It is all about little mind set changes.

In a business environment you can therefore choose to turn material without identity into material with identity. Having said that, it is time to breathe new life into your outdated business shirt, your unused pen holder or that awfullly squeaky chair. What about selling it your shirt to a second hand shop, giving your pen holder to a colleague that could use it better or reapiring your chair ?

Let’s get it on and choose to turn waste into material with identity. Pioneers, like Madaster, Patagonia or Boardnow already show how cicularity in business works.

Pioneering companies moving towards zero waste

Do you know that the building sector, the food and beverage industry, fashion and transportation cause the biggest amount of Co2 emissions ? Therefore, it is important that this sectors moves towards more circular practices to become sustainable businesses. These are some of the pioneering company’s moving towards zero waste:

Building Sector:

Madaster is building material data banks. That means that all materials of a building can be tracked and traced through a so called building passport. The building passport lists all materials that are used within a property. At the end of a lifecycle of a building all materials can be reused or recycled.

Food & Beverage:

Companies like bio bean use old coffee grounds to turn them into fire logs. This is the perfect example of reusing or up-cycling “waste”.

Fashion:

Patagonia is one of the first companies taking full responsibility for their products. They do not only offer grants for sustainable projects but also take back used clothes to get them back in the loop.

Transportation:

Boardnow is an organisation that focuses on a biofuel-based aviation industry. Meaning to replace all fossil fuels with biodegradable forms of oil. Since 2011 usual passengers aircrafts are allowed to fly with bio-fuels and machines do not need to be adjusted to the more sustainable option of flying.

In summary, we can see that there are pioneering companies that enable those industries producing the most Co2 being more sustainable. Our Zero Waste Business Challenge is a program designed to support businesses moving closer to carbon neutrality. By educating and motivating employees we help companies to reach their best zero waste potential. Contact us if you would like to learn more or read on to learn more what you can do right now to move towards zero waste as a business owner.

What can I do as a business owner moving towards zero waste ?

Inspired ? So, what can you do as a business owner to move towards zero waste practices ? We have summarised 10 Tipps for you that can be helpful no matter if you are a big or small business and if you sell products or services:

Easy ways to move towards zero waste

1. You can refuse to work with companies that do not work in a sustainable way. You can check out our zero waste map to connect with sustainable businesses.

2. Reducing the amount of carbon emissions starts with breaking things down to the essentials. Rethink your business environment and reduce to what you really need.

3. Reuse materials and resources. This can be done by looking at what you have and rethinking the usability of products.

4. You can check the recycling requirements in your area and make sure to bring materials back in the loop.

5. By sharing your ambitions to become a greener company with your network on social media, you can make an impact.

6. Offsetting carbon emissions is a way of reducing your ecological footprint.

7. You can motivate your employees to move towards sustainability by offering them incentives that support a circular economy.

8. Everyone can contribute to preserving nature by keeping our environment clean.

9. You can choose to work with Co2 neutral servers.

10. Our office environment influences the way we work. If the place where you work from resembles sustainable practices, it will also be visible in your business.

Moving towards zero waste as a business owner can often be overwhelming. Where to start ? And what is the first step towards sustainability ? And this is exactly where we at wegozero support you taking better business decisions. Book a free consultancy call and we make sure to help you get started with the first step:

How can I motivate employees to be more sustainable ?

Once you made the first step being a greener business, how can you get your employees on board ? And not only them. What about suppliers, partners and clients ? To make change happen as a business owner or in the management level sustainability must be a fun and easy topic.

Therefore, you can engage your employees by getting them involved into sustainable and interactive team experiences

Sustainable experiences

• a hike in nature
• zero waste bike tour
• recycling workshop
• unpackaged fruits, vegetables & nuts for free
• zero waste workshop

However, to find the right approach for your company can be challenging and often there is no time or budget for creating memorable activities for employees. At wegozero we are happy to inspire you and also arrange team activities for your employees.

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