Workplace Care as a Reflection of Business Integrity and Sustainability Values

Julie Starr • May 15, 2025

There are several powerful reasons why you might want to make sure you are taking good care of your place of business. For one thing, it is often going to mean that you are much more likely to give off a good first impression to people, and that can be really powerful and important from a marketing point of view and as branding. But it’s also about making sure your people have a good place to work, and doing all you can to keep that the case. This is going to be hugely important for your workforce and therefore the future of your business.


Given that, what are some of the things that you should make sure you are thinking about here? In this post, we are going to discuss some of the main ways to take good care of your place of business. If you are bearing in mind at least some of the following, you should find that this is much more likely to succeed. Let’s take a look.


Cleanliness Is Vital

If you want to make sure that your place of work is as good as can be, one of the main things you’ll want to look into is cleanliness. Keeping the place clean is the kind of thing that is both really simple and yet hugely powerful, and it’s vital to make sure that you are doing all you can to really make this work. So it’s something you are certainly going to want to think about if you are keen on making sure your place of business is working as well as it should.


This is also about making a good first impression, and if your place of business is clean that is definitely going to be much easier to make sure of. So if you are doing that, you can be certain that your place of business is going to be so much better all in all.


Routine Maintenance

This is another vital thing that is going to make things a lot easier in the workplace. If you are able to keep the maintenance of your place of business under wraps, that is going to really help a lot, and it’s going to mean that you are so much more likely to be able to keep your business itself credible as well. The fact is that good maintenance, and especially having a strong routine for your maintenance, will help you in voiding most of the headaches that you are otherwise going to come up against. So this really is a hugely important concern that you need to be aware of.


Small things like leaky faucets can add up to be huge problems if you are not careful, so it’s vital to make sure that you are doing all you can to avoid these sorts of issues. It’s all about checking routeinly and making sure that there is someone in charge who can really help and do what is needed. If you can do that, it really will make a huge difference to the business itself.


Keep The Exterior Tidy

You should also make sure you are thinking about the exterior of the building, and that you are doing all you can to try and keep this as tidy as possible. If you are able to do that, it’s the kind of thing that is really going to make a world of difference to what people think of your business, so that is something that you should certainly focus on here. Keeping the exterior tidy can be made easier with use of an edger for any grass edges, as well as making sure that you are keeping the whole place weed-free. These are the sorts of things that really help.


It also means checking the outside of the building, to see whether you might need to install a new sign or whether the exterior just needs a clean. These are the kinds of things that really make a huge difference to how people perceive the business, so it’s vital to make sure that you are aware of this.


Safety First


Throughout all of this, you need to remember that your business needs to focus on safety above all. So everything you do in the place of business should take this into account, and you need to make sure that you are aware of some of the ways in which you can make this a reality. If you can do that, it really is going to help.


At its core, taking care of your place of business isn’t just about operations—it’s a reflection of the values you embody as a brand. A clean, safe, and well-maintained space communicates respect for your employees, pride in your work, and a commitment to long-term stewardship. These are also foundational principles of sustainability. At Taiga Company, we help businesses translate those principles into clear,
engaging communications, supporting internal alignment, external brand trust, and stakeholder engagement around sustainability and workplace integrity.


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.
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.