Turning Your Business Green: Simple Steps to Get Started

Julie Starr • July 3, 2024

So, you’re thinking about turning your business green? That’s awesome! Not only will you be doing your bit for the planet, but you’ll also win brownie points with customers who care about sustainability. Plus, it’s a smart move financially in the long run. Let's dive into some practical steps to help you make your business greener and more eco-friendly.


Take a Good Look at What You’re Doing Now

Before you start making changes, you’ve got to know where you’re at. Take a walk around your office or workspace and really look at how things are running. Are you using a lot of non-recyclable materials? Is your energy bill sky-high? Identifying the areas that need improvement is the first step.

Think about it like a health check-up for your business. Maybe you notice that your lights are on all day even when it’s sunny outside or that you’re printing way more paper than necessary. These are little red flags that you can address with some simple fixes.


Set Some Green Goals

Once you know where you need to improve, it’s time to set some goals. Don’t go overboard and try to do everything at once. Start with a few realistic targets, like reducing waste by 20% or switching to eco-friendly packaging. Make sure your goals are clear and achievable – you want to be able to see your progress and give yourself a pat on the back when you hit them!

Having specific goals helps keep you on track and gives you something to aim for. Plus, it feels great to see how far you’ve come when you start ticking those goals off your list.


Switch to Renewable Energy

One of the biggest changes you can make is switching to renewable energy sources. This might sound like a huge deal, but it doesn’t have to be. You could start by signing up for a green energy plan or looking into solar panels.

Take a look at companies like JDI Plastics. They’re really taking sustainability seriously and have some great initiatives. You can check out what they’re doing here: https://jdiplastics.com/sustainability/. It’s inspiring to see how a business can really make a difference.



Embrace the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

It’s the mantra everyone learned in school, but it really works. Start by reducing the amount of waste you create. This could mean cutting down on single-use plastics or finding ways to use less paper.

Next, think about reusing what you can. Maybe you can repurpose some of your office supplies or find a new use for scrap materials. Finally, make recycling a no-brainer for everyone. Set up clearly marked recycling bins and make sure everyone knows what goes where. It’s a simple step that can have a big impact.


Choose Green Suppliers

Your business doesn’t operate in a vacuum. The suppliers you choose can have a big impact on your sustainability efforts. Look for suppliers who are committed to eco-friendly practices. This might mean choosing companies that use recycled materials or offer sustainable products.

By picking green suppliers, you’re not just improving your business, but you’re also supporting a wider network of companies that care about the environment. It’s a win-win!


Get Everyone on Board

Going green is a team effort. Make sure your employees are in the loop and excited about the changes. This could be as simple as having a chat about why you’re making these changes and how everyone can help.

Encourage your customers to join in too. Maybe you can offer discounts for returning packaging or run a campaign to promote eco-friendly products. The more people you get involved, the bigger the impact you’ll make.

How Outsourcing Services Can Help Your Business Advance Sustainability Goals

By Julie Starr • April 20, 2025
Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a business imperative. From shifting customer expectations to regulatory momentum and investor pressure, today’s competitive landscape demands more than short-term cost savings. Companies are being called to demonstrate leadership by embedding sustainable practices across their value chain. For many organizations, this transformation can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Strategic outsourcing can unlock both environmental benefits and operational efficiency—helping your company do more with less while strengthening its sustainability performance. By partnering with service providers who specialize in sustainability, you can streamline operations, reduce environmental impact, and build trust with customers, employees, and investors alike. Below are some key areas where outsourcing can support your sustainability journey. Green Energy Consulting Services Are you wondering how to lower energy consumption without impacting business performance? Green energy consultants specialize in reducing carbon footprints through practical, scalable solutions. These experts analyze your energy usage and identify opportunities like switching to renewables, upgrading to energy-saving systems, or adopting smart technologies. Outsourcing initiatives such as solar panel installation or wind-powered electricity procurement signals your organization’s long-term commitment to environmental leadership. And as with many sustainability investments, the result is not just impact—it’s also efficiency and cost savings. Framed in the right way, these actions can become powerful stories that demonstrate your company's values to customers and stakeholders. Sustainable Supply Chain Management A sustainable supply chain is essential for companies aiming to lead in today’s circular economy. Third-party logistics providers and supply chain consultants can help in auditing your supply chain to uncover inefficiencies, and recommend improvements aligned with eco-conscious goals. By outsourcing this function, you gain access to experts who help embed sustainability into procurement practices—using local materials, reducing waste, and improving freight efficiency. Many providers can also connect you with suppliers that share your environmental standards, enabling a cohesive approach to sustainable sourcing. These supply chain enhancements not only reduce emissions and waste—they also reinforce your brand’s environmental credibility across the stakeholder ecosystem. Eco-Friendly IT and Cloud Computing Running a tech-intensive business? Traditional on-site data centers are energy-intensive. Outsourcing IT infrastructure to green cloud providers can dramatically lower your environmental impact. Cloud vendors who use renewable energy for data storage and server operations offer an efficient alternative to on-premise solutions. They also reduce hardware waste and improve system performance—making them both eco-friendly and future-ready. For organizations prioritizing digital sustainability, this move can be a cornerstone of your environmental strategy—and a strong signal of innovation to your stakeholders. Sustainable Junk Removal Services Sustainable operations include responsible waste management. Outsourcing junk removal to companies that prioritize recycling and charitable donations keeps unnecessary items out of landfills and extends the life cycle of materials. These services allow businesses and individuals to declutter responsibly, supporting both environmental and community well-being. It’s a simple but visible action that can reinforce your sustainability message both internally and externally. Carbon Offsetting Services Not all emissions can be eliminated—but many can be offset. Specialized outsourcing firms help companies calculate, track, and neutralize their carbon emissions through strategic reforestation projects , renewable energy, or community resilience projects. These providers simplify the path to carbon neutrality, enabling your business to meet emissions targets without overwhelming internal resources. When shared transparently, these efforts can build credibility and show stakeholders your commitment to real climate action. Green Building and Facility Services For organizations with a physical footprint, outsourcing to green building service providers supports both environmental and business performance. Whether you're retrofitting with energy-efficient systems, reimagining interior layouts for LEED certification, or upgrading lighting and HVAC, retrofitting to eco-friendly office design supports long-term thinking. Outsourcing this expertise ensures you’re not only meeting today’s expectations—but also building for tomorrow’s workforce and market needs. Outsourced R&D for Sustainable Products Developing greener products doesn’t need to be done in-house. By outsourcing R&D to sustainability-focused experts, your company can bring innovative ideas—like biodegradable packaging or low-impact materials—to market faster. These partnerships inject creativity and specialized knowledge into your product development pipeline, helping you stay ahead of regulatory shifts and consumer demand. More importantly, they support a brand narrative rooted in innovation and responsibility. Conclusion: Aligning Profit with Purpose Sustainability isn’t just about compliance—it’s about competitiveness, resilience, and leadership. Outsourcing to sustainability-minded providers allows your business to focus on core strengths while accelerating progress toward environmental and ESG goals. From energy and IT to supply chain and product development, these partnerships offer a smart path forward—one that balances operational efficiency with lasting impact.  At its best, sustainable outsourcing isn’t a sideline strategy. It’s a meaningful part of how forward-thinking companies align profit with purpose—and demonstrate what’s possible when businesses lead with values.

How the Agriculture Industry Is Evolving — And Why It Matters to Your Business

By Julie Starr • April 18, 2025
Any business that focuses on sustainability needs to take a holistic approach to their operations. They’ll need to make sure everything is as sustainable as possible. This often feels complicated for various areas. One of the more notable is picking the right marketing strategies for sustainability companies. This can be difficult, as some options mightn’t be eco-friendly. That’s especially true with many more traditional options, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few your business can go for. There shouldn’t be a reason why they wouldn’t be sustainable marketing strategies. Run Eco-Friendly Digital Events Event marketing can often be a great area to invest in, but it’s not always the most sustainable option. Thankfully, that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few ways to make it more sustainable. You could run digital events , which are often much more eco-friendly than their traditional counterparts. There’ll be no need for people to travel and generate carbon emissions, for example. There’ll also be a whole lot less waste during the event itself. Aside from being more environmentally friendly, this offers more than a few other benefits. There’s no reason why these events shouldn’t help your business. Invest in SEO Search engine optimization (SEO) can often be one of the better marketing strategies for sustainability companies. It doesn’t have a negative environmental impact, and it could offer you some amazing results. It’ll help you generate some great brand awareness, visibility, and even sales. This gets more and more in time. t can often be one of the more complicated areas to master, though. That doesn’t mean you can’t make it more straightforward. You can always look into professionals to help you with this, like here: https://tonimarino.co.uk . With a bit of time, you’ll see quality results from your SEO. Get Involved in Eco-Friendly Initiatives Countless eco-friendly initiatives are run every year, and these can often be great to get involved in. They can help you improve your brand awareness while getting in front of like-minded individuals. Many of these could be in a position to be interested in your products or services. Even sponsoring some of these initiatives can be worth it. It’s just a matter of looking into which initiatives you can actually take part in. Spend a bit of time figuring out which ones can be a great option for you. It’ll even help improve how people view your brand going forward. Figuring out the best marketing strategies for sustainability companies can often be a little complicated. Some options can be ruled out relatively quickly, as they mightn’t be too environmentally friendly. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few options you can go for. A few of them could stand out. These shouldn’t have a negative environmental impact, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider them. They’ll also offer you some amazing results going forward. With the impact they can have, it’s more than worth putting the time and effort into them. You’ll see some quality results because of it.