7 Business Areas Where You Can’t Afford To Slip Up On Your Sustainability Goals

Julie Starr • November 8, 2022



We all know that running a business is no easy feat. There are a million things to keep track of, and even the smallest mistake can have big consequences. That’s why it’s essential to be extra careful in certain areas of your business where one misstep could derail your sustainability targets and damage your reputation. So let’s take a look at seven business areas where you can’t afford to slip up on your sustainability goals. 

1. Finances:

Finances are the lifeblood of any business, and it’s no different when it comes to sustainability. Without careful financial management, your business may be unable to meet its sustainability targets. This could damage your reputation and make it harder to achieve long-term success. That’s why it’s important to focus on your finances and ensure they’re in good shape. This will give you the stability you need to pursue sustainable initiatives and reach your goals.

2. Human Resources:

To achieve sustainability targets, businesses must focus on their human resources. This means ensuring that employees are properly trained and have the resources they need to do their jobs efficiently. It also means creating a work environment where employees feel valued and supported. Focusing on human resources can help businesses achieve their sustainability targets by reducing waste, promoting energy efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions . However, achieving these targets as a business requires the buy-in and effort of all employees, and a strong focus on human resources is essential in making this happen.

3. Marketing:

Marketing is vital to the success of any business, especially those with sustainability targets. Marketing helps businesses reach their target markets, identify new opportunities, and build customer relationships. To achieve sustainability goals, a business must have a clear understanding of what its customers want and need and be able to communicate this effectively to them. Marketing also helps businesses to track their progress and measure the impact of their sustainable initiatives. By focusing on marketing, a business can ensure that its sustainability targets are achievable and that its message is being heard by those who matter most.

4. Customer Service:

To achieve sustainability targets, it is important to focus on creating a positive customer experience. When customers are happy with the service they receive, they are more likely to return and recommend your business to others. This helps to create a positive word-of-mouth marketing campaign that can drive business growth. Additionally, satisfied customers are more likely to be forgiving if an occasional mistake occurs, which minimizes the negative environmental impact of running a business. By focusing on providing excellent customer service , you can help your business achieve its sustainability goals while also building a loyal customer base.

5. Operations:

Keeping your business running smoothly day-to-day is no small feat. From managing inventory and supply chain issues to ensuring quality control, there are a lot of moving parts to consider when it comes to operations. A strong operations department requires good planning and coordination to ensure all aspects are running efficiently and effectively in line with targets. A quality operations department also needs to be proactive in identifying any potential sustainability issues and finding solutions, such as reducing waste or using more environmentally-friendly materials.

6. IT:

Companies must have a functioning and efficient information technology (IT) department in today’s business world. The IT department is responsible for maintaining the company’s computer systems and networks and ensuring that all employees have access to the necessary technology tools to do their jobs. Any malfunctions or disruptions in the IT department can have a ripple effect throughout the entire company, costing the business money by interrupting its operations. This is why it is so important for businesses to ensure that their IT department is functioning properly and has the resources it needs to do its job. Some businesses find themselves with a lack of IT experience or competency, which can expose the company to various security risks and vulnerabilities. This is one of the main reasons why IT-outsourcing is such a lucrative market for IT specialists. IT can also be used to support other business departments, such as training departments, in sharing resources geared to support organizational targets linked to sustainability.

7. Sales:

Sales are a key driver of any business, and a slip-up in this department can be costly. To stay competitive, it is essential to maintain a strong sales strategy and keep your sales team focused and motivated. Falling behind in sales can mean losing market share and revenue and may even lead to bankruptcy. To stay ahead of the competition, it is important to ensure your sales team is always on top of its game. This means providing them with the tools and training they need to succeed and keeping them motivated. Companies focusing on sustainability have a competitive advantage over their competitors, and it is vital to use this to drive sales. It is also important to have a good sales strategy in place. This includes developing a good product or service that meets your customers’ needs, pricing your products correctly, and targeting the right market. If you can do these things, you will likely succeed in sales.

Conclusion: 

As you can see, there are many critical areas of businesses where one misstep could lead to big problems in achieving your sustainability goals. However, by being mindful of these areas and taking steps to prevent mistakes, you can set your business up for sustainable success!

5 Simple Ways to Make Your Online Business More Sustainable

By Julie Starr • August 9, 2025
Running an online business can feel like a constant balancing act. You’re trying to grow, keep customers happy, and still have time for yourself. The trick to making it all work long-term is to build habits and systems that last. You don’t need a complicated plan or endless resources to do it either. Here are five straightforward ways to make your business more sustainable without overcomplicating things. Focus on long-term customer relationships If you want your business to last, you need customers who keep coming back. That doesn’t just happen because you’ve got a good product or service. It’s about making people feel valued every time they interact with you. Simple things like remembering their name, following up after a purchase, or sending a quick thank-you email can make a huge difference. People are far more likely to support a business they feel connected to, so keep those relationships personal and genuine rather than purely transactional. Make your marketing work smarter A big part of sustainability is making sure your marketing isn’t draining your time or money. You want it to be efficient and get results. This is where working with seo consultants can help. They know how to make sure people can find your business online without you throwing cash at random ads. Even if you can’t hire someone right now, you can start by focusing on keywords, improving your website’s loading speed, and posting valuable content that answers the questions your customers are already asking. Streamline your products or services It’s tempting to try to offer everything to everyone, but that’s rarely a good idea. The more you offer, the more time, money, and resources you’ll end up using. Instead, focus on the things you do best and make them as good as they can be. When you streamline what you’re selling, you can put all your energy into perfecting it, which makes it easier to maintain quality over time. Customers notice when you consistently deliver something great, and they’ll trust you more for it. Keep an eye on your finances No matter how much you enjoy the creative or customer side of your business, the numbers are what will keep you going long-term. That means knowing what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where you can cut costs without cutting quality. Set yourself a monthly check-in to look at your spending and profits. If you spot something that’s not working financially, don’t leave it for months, hoping it will improve. Tackle it early and you’ll avoid bigger problems down the road. Look after yourself You can’t run a sustainable business if you’re running yourself into the ground. Burnout isn’t just bad for you, it’s bad for your customers and your bottom line. Make sure you’re setting boundaries, taking breaks, and switching off when you can. That might mean scheduling a full day without work every week or turning your phone off after a certain time. The more balanced you are, the better decisions you’ll make, and the easier it will be to keep your business moving forward without constantly feeling like you’re in survival mode. Sustainability in business isn’t about doing one big thing; it’s about making intelligent, consistent choices that build over time. Start small, keep checking in on your progress, and before you know it, your business will feel a lot steadier and more future-proof than it did before.

Sustainable Choices That Heavy Industry Businesses Can Easily Make

By Julie Starr • August 8, 2025
Are you hoping to build a heavy industry business? It’s the kind of company that can have globally sweeping positive and negative effects. On the one hand, you’re contributing to the industry, ensuring there’s enough supply to meet demand, and you can do your best to operate in a sustainable way that prioritizes the environment. But on the other hand, the heavy industry has long been the most significant business polluter in the world. Despite advancements in industry technology and usage, their ranking relative to other sectors, such as food and beverage , and shipping and logistics, has remained unchanged as of 2025. Requiring extensive use of large, heavy, and expensive machinery, the fumes produced by heavy-duty factories in sectors like mining, aerospace, nautical, and metal production regularly cause harm to both human and animal life. It’s why anyone interested in investing or scaling within an industry like this needs to focus on their company’s carbon footprint. There are various ways to ensure you’re limiting your harmful output and waste, and you’ll want to use as many as possible within your operation. Check out our recommendations below. Work with Green Suppliers No matter what stage you sit at in the hypothetical supply chain, you’re likely to source at least part of your overall production material from a supplier. If that’s not the case, you’ll still need to work with companies that provide machinery and equipment, as well as replacement parts for these industrial items. All in all, to make as sustainable a choice as possible, you’ll want to commit to working with a ‘green’ supplier who makes eco-conscious choices at every step. Eco-friendly suppliers will strive to both implement sustainable practices within their production line, as well as provide sustainably made and/or extracted materials. The products and/or parts they send out are likely to be recyclable when they reach their end-of-life period, or they’ll run a scheme where you can send old or broken parts back to them. Offset Your Carbon Emissions Offsetting carbon emissions converts the waste output from your operations into something more positive. If you’re interested in programs like this , you can use official government platforms or climate charity websites to contribute. You’ll be able to find a variety of projects that have been undertaken to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, and they’ll be located in various regions across the world. You can choose to patronise as many of them as you wish, but if you want to focus on specific types, you’ll also be able to do so. When approaching a program like this, it’s usually best to offset month by month, as this helps you stay on top of your carbon footprint. Be sure to invest in as much carbon removal per tonne as your business has potentially contributed to the atmosphere in the last month. But before you go any further, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind here: Carbon offsetting is just one sustainable practice you can turn to, but it’s not the only one your business will ever need to use. Yes, it’s one of the most sustainable practices a heavy industry business can invest in. But that’s only true when it’s partnered with real-time carbon-lowering efficiencies within day-to-day operations. Repair, Rather Than Throw Away Repairing is the best option if a repair is possible. This should be the first step when evaluating old or broken-down equipment. If it can be salvaged, it should be. Otherwise, you’ll have to replace the equipment in question. Not only is that expensive, but it also means more waste to manage. And not all heavy industry tech can be recycled. Sometimes it’s potentially hazardous and needs to be disposed of carefully, and this could have harsh impacts on the surrounding environment. Repairing is your best bet, at least 80% of the time. You can get back up and running faster, and you don’t need to account for a large investment at short notice. And more equipment can be repaired than you might think. It’s not just small, singular parts that can be pulled out. Entire internal systems in even large vehicles, such as freighter ships, can be replaced by secondary parts. A marine logistics provider or deep-sea fishing operator would save a lot of money just by ordering a Cummins Rebuild Kit for one of their vessels. Deciding to put the ship out of commission and eventually scrapping it will contribute to the large-scale waste common in companies like this. Aiming to repair and limit environmental damage will get that same boat back onto the waters in seaworthy condition. Operate with Lower Emission Logistics Shipping your products to businesses and markets always generates a carbon footprint. Unless you’re operating only within the local area and you’re able to transport products back and forth on foot, this is an unavoidable issue. And seeing as you’re a heavy industry business, that’s not very likely. But some shipping options are better than others. Indeed, there are low-emission choices to be made, and you’ll want to look into these logistic partners only. You’ll likely find that air travel is a total no-go zone. Alternatives to this are long-haul road transportation or a traditional shipping company that operates via sea. Yes, even trucking your products over land generates a lot less carbon waste that can damage the environment than flying something! Staying Green as a Heavy Industry Player Working sustainably within the heavy industry is a career-long project. You’ll need to continually make moves to consider what could be streamlined into something greener and less consuming next. In the end, this can help your long-term costs decrease and stay low. Fewer risky investments, fewer fees from environmental bodies, and more productive time within your business. So, it’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it