4 Tips for a Greener Digital Transformation for Small Businesses

Julie Starr • October 24, 2020

Undoubtedly, small to medium businesses have been the hardest hit by the consequences of the current pandemic. Without the financial resources that are commonly available to larger companies, small or local business owners have to leverage new opportunities. And, how can we ignore the importance of fuelling a digital transformation within any business? Local businesses have the power to produce sustainably and in total respect of the environment. But, they are now significantly threatened by the measures implemented to curb the pandemic. So, entering a digital era – within your own possibilities – can help you create a community, retain your customers, and encourage sustainable growth . Start here.

Embrace Remote Working

Remote working is among the most sustainable – and affordable – ways to increase your workforce. While, undoubtedly, you will need to adapt your IT systems to be secure and efficient, this strategy allows you to leverage the knowledge and capabilities of the best talents in the industry – without having to rent costly office spaces or asking them to travel to the office every morning.

Deliver – Sustainably

eCommerce is an excellent way to increase your profits and make your products and services accessible to your audience independently from the current situation. However, eCommerce, shipping, and transport can end up creating a negative effect on the environment.

You can decide to introduce eCommerce in a more sustainable way , especially if you pick recyclable packaging and offer more eco-friendly delivery options. Or, if your audience is still only local, you might decide to use a bike or other non-polluting vehicles to deliver your goods. This can be an optimal choice for the environment and allows you to stay in line with your brand.

Leverage Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is an excellent way to advertise your business in a sustainable way. You won’t need to invest in paper-based marketing and billboards, but the results can be even more beneficial. Indeed, having a website and implementing a blog is fairly easy and can help you allow your customers to discover your brand values and products before deciding to commit to a purchase.

Additionally, integrating local SEO tips can help you increase your brand’s visibility and connect with the ones around you. These strategies can help your business become more discoverable by potential consumers who are already actively looking for what you offer. Of course, though, you have to work on digital marketing as a constant process. Issues like content decay and relevance can hurt small businesses when they don’t properly update and improve their blogs and other digital content.

Create a Local Community Engagement

Joining the digital transformation can be extremely beneficial for your business because it can help you connect with the ones around you. Community involvement and engagement is crucial for a local business to thrive, offering you a base on which to continue growing and developing. Additionally, through marketing and communication, you can host events, take part in community initiatives, and organize volunteering projects. Indeed, this can be an excellent way to help your business fit within the local community and always count on other businesses and customers’ help.

Lastly, communicating your brand values online is the perfect way to let others who might be interested that your business is operating as normal during these unusual times.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • 07 Oct, 2024

Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

By Julie Starr • 04 Oct, 2024

Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.