How To Build A Sustainable Brand

Julie Starr • October 6, 2020



Whilst recent years have seen a steady (and necessary) rise in eco-friendly practices there is still more work to be done to protect the planet for future generations. After all, organizations such as the Natural History Museum declared that we are currently in a state of planetary emergency , meaning change needs to happen sooner rather than later. 

Therefore, it is the responsibility of business owners to implement sustainable practices in their workplace. This can involve reducing the amount of paper used on-site, or switching to green energy suppliers. However, it is also important that you incorporate sustainability into your brand. In doing so, you are setting a strong example for other companies and encouraging customers to be more selective in the companies they work with or purchase from – thus promoting a better, brighter future for the planet.

Ditch the business cards

The days of leaflets and business cards are on a steady decline.  Not only do they use excessive amounts of paper, but they are simply less effective than they were previously. For example, when was the last time you picked up a leaflet on display? In a modern technological world, a strong online presence is much more beneficial to a business, especially if you have a well-designed, easy to use website. 

Designing your website can be a difficult process. However, specialist companies such as H Grant designs , work closely with you to ensure that your website not only represents your brand but also functions in the way in which you want it too. They can carefully curate a website based on your company’s goals – whether you want to increase sales or demonstrate your wealth of knowledge to your target audience. 

In order to represent your brand’s commitment to sustainability, be sure to include a page on your site that details the work you are doing to protect the environment. This could include information such as your energy supplier or how you are reducing waste. 

Utilize social media

A recent study found that in 2019, the average time spent on social media was a staggering 144 minutes per day. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that cultivating a strong social media presence is an important part of boosting your business. 

As opposed to focusing on sales-driven content, try to give the viewer an insight into your company and what you stand for. For example, a weekly post on sustainability will demonstrate your commitment to a more sustainable future, immediately making your business appear more attractive to a viewer. You can also help to promote positive change in doing so.

Change the way you work

In order to further solidify your brand or company as sustainable, you will also need to implement key changes in the way the workplace functions and you can provide details of this on the company website. 

For example, you can help reduce pollution by encouraging employees to take part in the cycle to work scheme, use public transport or even car share. You can also offer rewards as an incentive for those who regularly engage in eco-friendly practices.

Grow your business with sustainable business practices. You’ll serve your employees, clients, and the planet with the means towards a better future.

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.
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