5 Ways To Foster A More Sustainable Business
Julie Starr • October 9, 2023
Sustainability should be a core part of every company’s mission and values. Not only is it great for the planet, but it’s great for business, too. It lets you bring in more customers and generate more revenue. It’s more than worth the cost of investing in it.
You’ll need to know how to foster a more sustainable business to achieve these results.
While that seems easier said than done, it’s far from complicated. You shouldn’t have to spend too much time and effort on it.
Some strategies are well worth it, as they’ll have more of an impact than you’d think.
- Reduce Waste - Have you thought about how much waste your business generates? It could be a lot more than you’d think, especially when it comes to manufacturing any products. Look at every part of your supply chain and figure out if there’s anything that you can change to reduce waste. Reusing materials and similar strategies can be a great way of cutting down on this.
- Encourage Remote Work - Your employees will need to use cars or similar forms of transport to get to and from work. That means burning up fuel, which harms the environment. By switching to a remote working culture, you cut that out completely. You’ll end up being more sustainable with a simple switch, and you shouldn’t have to worry about work not getting done. You’ll be better off because of it.
- Partner With Sustainable Suppliers - The suppliers you work with play a role in how sustainable your company is. Look into options that are actually sustainable. That could be as simple as Googling ‘sustainable outsourced IT services near me,’ or something similar, and you shouldn’t have much to worry about. You’ll still get things done while being more sustainable.
- Use Green Office Supplies - The supplies you have in your office can be one of the more overlooked ways you could be harming the environment. If you use a lot of paper, that’s especially true. It’s worth going as green as possible with this. Switching to digital-only is recommended. You can even use energy-saving appliances and computers to help.
- Give Back - Sometimes, creating a more sustainable business doesn’t just mean focusing on the ins-and-outs of your business. It often includes giving back and actively helping the environment. There are multiple ways you can do this, and donating to environmental charities can be one of the more notable ways of doing this. Consider setting up a regular donation to give back to groups that help the environment.
If you want to foster a more sustainable business, you’ll need to be willing to put some time and effort into it. You shouldn’t have to make extraordinary changes to do this, however. Instead, some of the smaller changes could be well worth it.
You’ll have to be consistent with your efforts, though. It could take a little while to actually make your business more sustainable, but it’ll be worth it. You’ll benefit the planet while bringing more customers in, making it well worth it.
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.
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.