Sustainable Products
A genuine, faithful commitment to the environment, however, can benefit business growth as well as the planet, a fact that’s been brought into stark focus by the pandemic. For example, 56% of consumers feel that reducing single-use plastics, lowering carbon footprints and behaving more sustainably have all become ‘a lot more important’ since the pandemic.
Print company Solopress is a member of Two Sides, a not-for-profit group that’s able to investigate, educate and communicate when it comes to the ecological issues surrounding paper and print, and who actively combat greenwashing.
The success of their Solopress Green range, which is sustainably-produced and recyclable, reflects the increased environmental awareness of the modern consumer. Simon Cooper, Managing Director at Solopress, said: ‘the response has been phenomenal, confirming that our customers share our concern for the environment and that they’re prepared to adapt their buying habits to minimise their impact.”
New Working Practices
The pandemic also necessitated new working practices in accordance with social distancing regulations; practices which, despite their disruptive nature, had the effect of reducing our impact on the environment. When employees were initially forced to work from home, many employers feared a drop in efficiency. But with productivity unaffected, businesses have continued to pursue a flexible working schedule.
Employees working from home for even one or two days a week can help businesses drastically reduce their CO2 emissions and achieve a lower carbon footprint. Many of those working from home choose to use local co-working spaces, which also represents a decrease in travel time and emissions.
On top of this, nearly 50% of the UK’s workforce admit to being more environmentally friendly at home than in the office, suggesting the environmental implications of working from home may be even greater than reduced travel emissions. Those interviewed felt that it was a lack of control over green activities at work, coupled with a lack of information around their employers’ energy and sustainability policies that prevented them from being more sustainable at work.
A Greener Future
The importance of employing sustainable business practices could not be clearer. The above data shows that the positive impact of investing in sustainability extends far beyond benefitting growth and profitability.
By either implementing a sustainable marketing campaign or launching sustainable product lines, businesses can have a marked impact on their carbon footprint, whilst improving how they’re perceived among customers and colleagues. Given that 57% of respondents between 18 and 34 would prefer to work for a company that shares their environmental values, the importance of sustainability on future hiring cannot be understated either.
Whilst there are positive signs in the growing legitimacy of sustainable business practices, we can only hope that more companies adopt legitimate, sustainable practices as we move towards net zero emissions.
