3 Things That Every Sustainable Business Website Should Include

Julie Starr • May 19, 2020



Sustainability has become a hot topic in the business sector, but becoming a sustainable business is about more than hollow promises and stated company goals. Being a truly sustainable business is about taking tangible sustainability actions, and communicating these clearly with your consumers.

When it comes to communicating your sustainability message with potential buyers and building a brand identity, your company website is usually a great place to start. Here are three things that you will want to make sure that you include.

A clear message to your stakeholders
Whether you have a separate CSR page on your website or choose to incorporate your sustainability message into your ‘About Us’ page, it is important that somewhere on your website you have a clear message for your key stakeholders detailing your company’s sustainability measures. It’s important to remember that your key stakeholders may have different things that they care about, for example, your suppliers may be most concerned about sustainable supply chain initiatives whereas your customers may want to see how your CSR plan affects them and your employees. Try to create a message that appeals in some way to everyone who may be visiting your website to learn more about your sustainability message, and remember that you can always provide more information to each stakeholder group through more targeted pages on your website.

Links to your social media channels
Social media is an essential part of a sustainability communications strategy and therefore is now a very important consideration when designing a website with sustainability in mind. Social media is the perfect place for your business’s sustainability claims and physical actions to align, demonstrating the tangible things that your company does on a daily basis to work towards their sustainability goals. This information shouldn’t just be restricted to those who follow your social media, and so you may want to include live-feeds from your social media channels on your website to spark a conversation, or at the very least you should link through to your social media accounts to encourage those who are interested to see more to follow you.

Proof that you live by your own sustainability values
Your CSR or sustainability web page may outline your sustainability goals and highlight what you plan to do to achieve them, but what people really want to see is that you and your employees embody your own values. A great way to demonstrate that you truly live and breathe your own sustainability message is to include information about personal sustainability efforts within the biographies of your key staff members. This could be something like the COO cycling to work, your marketing manager volunteering for a local food-waste charity, or the fact that your intern loves to shop zero-waste. At a broader level, you may also want to include information on smaller sustainability measures that you put in place for your staff members on a daily basis, be that the provision of plant-based lunches or reusable bottles.

These are just three of the things that you will want to make sure that you include on your business website. For more information on how to develop a sustainability-focused brand or how to communicate your sustainability strategy, then get in touch.

How To Identify Companies That Match Your Values

By Julie Starr • 22 Apr, 2024
As you try to develop a sustainable brand , you need to consider what other companies you work with. These could be collaboration opportunities or suppliers and vendors that help you develop the product or service you want to sell. But, many companies may not share your values, so how can you identify the right companies that meet your eco-friendly attitude? Make Use Of Marketing Platforms It's frustrating to reach out to multiple companies to identify collaboration opportunities. For one, there’s no guarantee you even get a response, and cold emailing or other measures are rarely successful. However, you can use marketing platforms and their many features and resources to companies or influencers that align more closely with what you feel is right. Various platforms offer unique options that enable you to whittle down possible companies until you find the perfect match, saving you plenty of time. Research Their Website However, you can’t just leap into any partnership since these platforms may have outdated information, or companies could have selected everything they think will get them a partnership. As with any approach, extra research is essential. Once you’ve identified a company that seems to match your values, it’s with checking out their website. Look at their blog and customer reviews to get an idea of where their ideals lie so you can get a more transparent picture. Meet With Companies Businesses can also meet directly with potential companies when they have established the possibility of a partnership. Whether you’re looking for a better green transport service or need central laboratory services , having face-to-face conversations is a must. You can open discussions via video calls before arranging an in-person meeting which gives you the chance to visit their location, such as an office or warehouse, to ensure that you aren’t stepping into something you may regret. Look For Accreditation and Certification Modern businesses require certification and accreditation to back up claims they are the most sustainable or to prove they have adhered to necessary compliance laws and regulations. Usually, you can find this on their website but there could also be PR pieces on various industry news sites that can prove the company has obtained the necessary certificates. Identifying these certificates will add confidence they are the right company to work with. Offer Value To Them While you hope the potential partnership brings value to your company, you also need to provide value to them. This point is key for strategic collaboration as it otherwise means you take without offering anything in return. Consider what your business can do, such as increase their awareness or help them develop new research projects. In doing so, you will have a mutually beneficial partnership that helps both companies achieve the goals they have outlined for the year. Values and Value Every partnership or collaboration should bring value. This value should apply to your business and any partnerships but also your customers. If you can identify companies that align with your brand values, you’ll have an easier time developing a positive relationship that ensures you stay on track to meet your goals.

Fresh Content: Where Do You Get The Green For Your Green Business?

By Julie Starr • 19 Apr, 2024
If you’re looking to start up a business that puts environmental responsibility at the forefront of how it operates, or that aims to offer new eco-friendly products and services to the market, then you need to make sure you have a plan for it. In part, you need to think about where the money is going to come from to help you get the business up and running. Here, we’re going to look at a few examples of places you can get the funding your green business needs. Finding like-minded investors A lot of capital in the startup spaces comes from investors who will take the time to look over a host of prospective businesses that are looking to get their start and will choose those that best align with their goals. Finding an investor isn’t always easy, so start by networking in the right professional spaces, especially those that might built specifically for entrepreneurs and business owners in the green sector. There are websites that can help pair your business up with investors, as well, but this can be a fairly competitive space. You want to have the room to be able to talk to potential investors about the profitability of your business, as well as the values and dedication to eco-friendliness that drive it. Getting hold of some credit The other traditional means of funding any business is to get a loan that can allow you to cover all of the necessary upfront costs, and running costs until you’re able to get yours up, running, and making money. Banks were the typical method of borrowing money like this, originally, but as banks got bigger, they lent less to smaller businesses, and as such, commercial funding solutions rose up to take their place, to some degree. If you’re going to try to borrow money, then you need to ensure that you are completely prepared for the application process, which can necessitate a business plan, which is designed, in part, to help show the viability and path to profitability to any lenders. Finding green grants and other financial incentives The push towards greener businesses and more sustainable industries isn’t something that’s only on the minds of a few business owners. There are always state-funded and non-profit-funded initiatives that aim to help those with green businesses on their mind get their start. You should take a look at the range of green business grants and other funding options set up, be it locally, in your state, or federally. Some of these funds and grants will be set up for businesses tackling climate change, ecosystem change, and environmental waste in specific ways, but there are always more grants to keep an eye out for, so make sure you learn how to write a grant proposal well. Finding those who are like-minded, either in seeing the profit potential in your business, or in getting behind the values of it, can help you not only get the funding you need, but it can lead to very advantageous relationships in the future, as well.
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