Climate change is a critical issue that affects us all, and regardless of the size of your business, you have the responsibility to help contribute to a sustainable future.

By adopting sustainable practices, you won’t just do your part to help the planet, but you’ll also help to improve your brand reputation and customer loyalty. This is because with each new generation of consumers, sustainability becomes a more important issue.

If you’re looking to make your business more environmentally friendly, here are four fantastic tips to get you started.

1. Know Your Starting Point

If you don’t know how environmentally friendly you are, it can be hard to know what steps you should be taking.

When you measure your carbon footprint with online tools such as the WWF Carbon Footprint Calculator, you’ll be able to identify areas where you can reduce your emissions.

By understanding your carbon footprint, as a small business owner you can set a sustainability strategy and monitor your progress over time.

2. Lower Your Pollutants

While many businesses around the world have gone paperless to reduce waste and preserve the environment, there are still more steps that you can take.

Depending on your industry, you may deal with other pollutants such as contaminated water that could do harm to the environment. If you need to test the quality of your water, then experts such as Smart Storm offer a range of Water Quality Parameters so you can perform testing yourself.

By understanding and eliminating pollutants at the source, you’ll be in a better position to protect the planet.

3. Find Renewable Energy Companies

Large businesses with bigger budgets can get their renewable energy by switching to energy sources like solar power to reduce their carbon footprint and energy costs, installing these tools on their premises.

However, installing solar panels can be expensive especially for smaller businesses who can’t justify the change regardless of long-term cost savings.

Instead, if you run a small business, consider switching to a renewable energy company such as Octopus Energy, and do your part to be more sustainable.

4. Find Local Sources

One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to find local sources for your products.

Not only will you reduce the distance that deliveries need to travel to get to you and therefore lowering carbon emissions, but you’ll by sourcing from the local community, you’ll help to build trust with those around you.

Supporting your local economy is a fantastic way to demonstrate to your consumers that you care.

Bonus Tip

Many governments are putting incentives in place to help businesses go green, such as the Green Business Loan Scheme being introduced in Wales, so contact your local authority for information and guidance.

How have you implemented sustainable practices? Share your story in the comments below!