Outsourcing – How It Can Make Your Business More Sustainable

Julie Starr • December 16, 2021



With over half of small businesses failing within their first five years of trading, it is no stretch to realize that the economy isn’t supporting those who need it the most. Nor are business owners always doing everything in their power to make a success of their venture. An excellent tool for any small business owner is outsourcing. Outsourcing also offers a way to become more environmentally conscious. By outsourcing jobs such as Telecom Expense Management , you’re able to reduce your impact on the environment while still making a profit.

What is outsourcing?

Outsourcing is when parts of the business are handed over to a third party to complete. These are usually time-intensive tasks or aspects of the company that the owner isn’t competent in, such as cyber security, accounting, or marketing.

The third-party company will have extensive training and experience in their chosen niche to eliminate the need for any additional training or supervision.

What are the benefits of outsourcing?

Firstly, businesses can benefit from an outsourcing company’s wealth of experience and knowledge. They will also perform their required duties easily and more efficiently with the necessary equipment and support needed to ensure a high-quality service.

Outsourcing can save your business money. With outsourcing, you only have to pay for what you need, so instead of paying for a full-time employee and covering their salary, benefits, and training, you’re able to pay for just the work they do.

Outsourcing can save your business from environmental problems. By outsourcing low-paid jobs and not requiring a lot of training, you’re saving yourself the potential environmental issues that come along with hiring employees who are in-depth in their field.

You can also become more environmentally conscious by outsourcing jobs that do not require a lot of training and low wages; this is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment while still making a profit.

How can you reduce your environmental impact by outsourcing?

Outsourcing jobs that are repetitive and don’t require a lot of training is one way to reduce your environmenta l impact by outsourcing. In a nutshell, these companies already exist to take care of specific tasks, and by utilizing the systems and equipment they have in place, you can reduce the need to duplicate these efforts on a scale to match your business.

By outsourcing jobs, you can reduce your impact on the environment and save yourself time and money while still making a profit.

Here are some ways that you can use outsourcing to become greener:

  • • Reduce your company’s carbon footprint
  • • Reduce waste and increase recycling
  • • Increase efficiency with decreased production time

One way to further reduce your environmental impact by outsourcing is by choosing a green company. Green companies are more environmentally conscious and eco-friendly than traditional companies.

Green companies tend to use renewable resources, recycle waste, use energy-saving technology, and lend their products with an eco-friendly design. As a result, you’ll be able to lower the amount of pollution generated by your business.

However, it’s important to note that these types of jobs will not necessarily decrease the cost of outsourcing overall–that depends on which kind of job you’re doing.

Outsourcing can be an excellent option for businesses in difficult times.

The global economy is in such a difficult place right now. Real estate, employment, and financial markets are all struggling to find stability. One way for businesses to maintain their profits in these challenging times is to outsource low-paid jobs and do not require a lot of training.

The reality is that some businesses cannot afford to hire employees to assist them, thus taking on the bulk of the work required to keep their business afloat. But one person cannot do everything single-handed, no matter how much they try. At some point, things will inevitably slip or fall through the cracks.

Outsourcing offers sustainable options for the environment and can sustain businesses by taking over the mundane jobs and allowing business owners to put their time and focus where it is needed more safely in the knowledge everything is taken care of. However, when looking at outsourcing, you need to make sure that the services you use are beneficial to your company and provide the service you require. You should also avoid falling into the trap of outsourcing too much of the company that you no longer can keep up to date with new developments or feel in control.

 

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.