10 Shocking Sustainability Mistakes Your Business Can’t Afford To Make!

Julie Starr • November 16, 2023

If you want to be successful in the modern market, your business needs more than just a great service or product. It also needs to demonstrate that you care about the environment and the people involved in making your product and running your business. Such things come under the umbrella of sustainability and you can discover some of the most shocking mistakes that businesses make around this issue, and how to avoid them by reading the post below.

Mistake 1: Thinking sustainability doesn't matter to your business. 


Probably the biggest and most serious mistake that businesses make around sustainability right now, is thinking that it doesn't matter to them. However, nothing could be further than the truth! Indeed, whatever field your business operates in sustainability matters because there are significant risks in not following sustainable practices. These risks include damage to your brand and public reputation, as social media can quickly spread negative as well as positive information which can have a significant impact on your business and drive customers to more sustainable competitors. 


Another risk of not being sustainable as a business is rising costs. This is because unsustainable practices such as wasting resources like fuel, and not being mindful of the waste your company generates are likely to cost your business unnecessarily. 


Additionally, by not choosing sustainability, your business risks the financial and social implications of non-compliance which at best can result in a hefty fine, and at worst can include legal resources and a PR nightmare. Remember if you are a business operating today, then sustainability is relevant! 

Mistake 2: Greenwashing


How many businesses recognise the importance of sustainability, an unfortunate phenomenon has sprung up around this topic. This phenomenon is known as greenwashing and it is when companies and organizations make misleading or downright false claims about the environmentally friendliness of a product or service.

The perceived benefits of greenwashing to a business are that they get all the glory and positive PR of being green, without any of the investment or hard work. However, there is also a huge risk to greenwashing that must be taken into account. The risk is that your customers and the wider public will find out that they have been misled over this very charged issue, and this will result in their loss of trust and business. Moreover, some businesses even pretend that every single practice they approach has a sustainable lens to it. Sometimes, it does, but not to the point where you’ll market it. For example, you may use MMC Roll Forming for the practical outfitting of your production line and invest in the best materials that last the longest to avoid waste, but does that really need to be a marker in your sustainability report?


Not necessarily. To that end, it's vitally important that businesses choosing to promote the green aspect of their product or service do so honestly, and without falsehood or manipulation. Otherwise, they risk being found out and punished accordingly by their customers. 

Mistake 3: Not making use of your most valuable resource - your employees


Next, another serious mistake that businesses can make around the issue of sustainability is not making use of their most valuable resource - their employees. Indeed, any sustainability initiatives are likely to fall flat on their face unless you recruit the help of those working for you. 


Finding people who are passionate about the issues covered by sustainability and ensuring that they are leading the charge is a great way to encourage company-wide changes for your business. Just be sure to give them the resources they need to implement these changes.

Mistake 4: Not explain why sustainability matters to your employers 


Now you know just how important it is to get your employees involved in your sustainability practices, it's important to remember that self-motivation is always better than when these things are imposed from the outside or the internal power structure within your business. 


With that in mind, it makes sense to educate your employees about what sustainability is and why it's important. You should do this in a way that covers not only your business but also helps your employees see why it's important to them as individuals as well. For example, for employees with children, leaving the Planet in a healthy condition, so they can have healthy and comfortable lives might be a top priority.

Mistake 5: Not rooting sustainable practices in your company values 


Often businesses try to graft sustainability practices onto the current way that they operate. However, they tend to be much more effective and perceived as much more genuine by the public if they are instead ingrained into the values of your company. 


By making a public statement that sustainability practices matter to the way in which you run your business you can set up a firm foundation ensuring that such practices are considered at every decision made, and by every individual that is part of your business. Indeed, by making sustainability part of the way in which your company operates you make it impossible to ignore as you go about your daily business operations. 

Mistake 6: Ignoring regulations and compliance issues 


Ignoring environmental and social regulations and being shown to be non-compliant is a very bad idea for any business. This is because it not only shows a lack of care for the wider world in which your company operates, but such behavior can result in heavy fines as well. 


The good news is that it's not as difficult as you may expect to ensure compliance with such regulations. For example, you can work with specialists such as clean air consultants who can provide you with access to a range of experts such as engineers, chemists, scientists, and technicians experienced in understanding regulatory requirements, solving environmental problems, and providing innovative solutions. In this way, you can ensure compliance with a range of regulations such as the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Mistake 7: Worrying about failures 


Many businesses put off instituting sustainable chances because they are scared of failure. Something that they do not want to have to explain to their superior or the Board. Unfortunately, this is a poor way to look at the issue of sustainability because few companies get 100% right the first time. Instead, it's a much better idea to see sustainability as a journey, one where there are always things that can be done or tweaked to work even better. 


Failures should be seen as stepping stones on this journey, and as a way to better focus your sustainability practices on what truly works for your business. Remember that just as with any change in your business, when making moves to be more sustainable, calculated risks are necessary. 

Mistake 8: Poor sustainability management 


Another issue that businesses and organizations need to be aware of when it comes to sustainability is poor management. For instance, making sure you have a team dedicated to sustainability rather than just adding it to the workload of current employees is best. Then they will be able to spend the time and energy needed getting up to date with the regulations that apply to your business, as well as the latest trends that you can use to improve your sustainability. 


Of course, even though you’ll want a separate sustainability team it is very important that they integrate and work closely with the other managers and areas of your business. Indeed, you will want to make sure that they understand the challenges and issues of each area and team in your business and can come up with solutions that take these into account, thereby ensuring that they work with rather than against the rest of your company.

Mistake 9: Having your entire sustainability initiative reliant on one person


Anyone familiar with running a successful business will know that having a vital part of their organization fully dependent on a single person is a very bad idea indeed. This is because if anything were to happen to that person such as illness, leaving the company, or even death, their business would suffer significantly. 


With that in mind, make sure you have a strong sustainability team, where responsibilities are divided accordingly, and each member is able to cover the role of another is crucial for long-term sustainability.

Mistake 10: Focusing only on the environmental part of sustainability and ignoring the social justice aspect 


Last of all, the term ‘sustainability’ gets thrown around a lot these days, especially when it comes to environmental and green initiatives. However, there are other things that come under the sustainability umbrella that are equally as important as preserving our natural environment. One such issue that is also integral to sustainability is social justice and the ethical treatment of people within capitalism. Indeed, there is much that businesses can do to ensure better treatment of all people involved at every stage of the manufacture and distribution of their products.

For example, one thing that every business can do is to perform due diligence regarding their suppliers. In particular, check that all suppliers and manufacturers that you work with have a robust employment policy that adheres to the modern slavery guidelines and prevents the exploitation of children and adults, that they offer a fair wage, and that compliance is checked by an outside objective organization. Remember, the more businesses that require ethical treatment and work practices from their suppliers the greater the reduction in poor working conditions and exploitation.

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.