Fresh Content: 5 Benefits of Sustainable Supply Chains

Julie Starr • June 14, 2021



A sustainable supply chain is basically a supply chain that is as free from risk as possible and far less likely to cause a negative impact on people or the planet as possible.

The key to successfully setting up a sustainable supply chain is building trust between your business, your suppliers, and your customers. Obviously, if you don’t currently have a sustainable supply chain for your business, this will mean investing some time and money into improving your processes, but it will be worth it in the end because there are numerous benefits to sustainable supply chains, including the following:

  1. Maintain an excellent reputation

Perhaps, the biggest benefit of sustainable supply chains is the fact that they will help your business avoid reputational damage. You won’t need to worry about finding the best lawyers for mining accident cases , for example, because you will be using sustainable energy rather than fossil fuels, and you won’t need to worry about customers turning away from you because of the environmental impact of your business, because you will be using sustainable soy or bamboo or whatever. It really is that simple, and at a time when more people are turning to sustainable brands than ever before, it is also really important!

  1. Save money as well as the planet

Another huge benefit of using a sustainable supply chain for your business is the fact that taking measures to cut your carbon footprint can also cut your operational costs significantly too, thus saving the planet and saving money at the same time.

One very clear example of this is Walmart who made a pledge to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 million tons annually. After doing this, they realized that it equated to roughly 95 percent of their whole carbon footprint, and in their efforts to meet this ambitious target, working with sustainable suppliers, in 2016 alone, there able to save $12.4 billion. That’s huge!

  1. Ensure you always have the supplies you need

When you use more sustainable supply chains , you’re far less likely to have problems with the continuity of your supply chain because things like natural disasters are less likely to affect your suppliers than they are suppliers who use fossil fuels and other polluters.

  1. Increase innovation

When you switch to a sustainable supply chain, you are able to change the vision for your whole business and look at everything you do in a different light. Thinking about ways to make your business greener forces you to think differently full-stop and this can lead to some amazing innovations that you would never have dreamed up otherwise.

  1. Sell more stuff

As we mentioned above, customers care about sustainability now more than they have ever done before. This means they are actively looking for companies that use sustainable practices and materials as a matter of course, If you can meet their requirements, you could beat the competition and make a lot more money as a result.

Sustainable supply chains are the future so what are you waiting for?

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.