Why your business needs a sustainability plan and how to create one

Sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Implementing a sustainability plan can help you make small changes to create long term results and help your business lower its environmental impact.

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Why you should have a sustainability plan 

A sustainability plan will be your roadmap on how to continue to grow your business in a way that will have less or no negative impact on the environment. Regardless of your industry, adopting sustainable business practices can improve your business in several ways. The mostsignificant being positive brand association and the ability to meet the demands of your customers. Many consumers today, especially younger generations, care about environmental and social issues and expect businesses to do so as well. In fact, studies show that many customers are willing to pay more for products aligning with their personal values. In a value driven society, meeting these expectations as a business is crucial to attract both new customers and talent.Read more:Younger generations demand more sustainable businessesThis is especially noticeable in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMGC) sector. A study from McKinsey shows that public awareness of packaging waste leakage, especially plastic waste, into the environment has increased significantly to an all-time high over the past 12–24 months. Companies are now proactively making bold commitments to improve both the sustainability of their packaging and to fundamentally rethink their packaging systems.

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How to implement a sustainability plan 

A sustainability plan may look different in a small business and large corporation, but the fundamental aspects are the same.

A sustainability plan should include: 

• Your goals and mission 
• Actions you’ll take to achieve your goals 
• How you’re going to track your progress 

Once you’ve set your goals, you need to decide what actions to take and what you’ll need to do differently. To make sure your actions will generate the intended outcome, your actions need to have SMART-goals. That means specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time limited.

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Areas in your business to consider improving 

To help you get started, here are some areas you can include in your sustainability plan and take action to become more sustainable.

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Energy 

Look at ways to consume less energy. Replacing inefficient lamps and appliances with better and more energy efficient alternatives will save both electricity and money. Another alternative that will generate clean energy for your business is installing your own solar panels.

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Products and packaging 

Are you using sustainably sourced and eco-friendly materials? If not, it’s time to switch it up. Set up a plan to investigate ways to start using recycled materials in your packaging,or use sustainably sourced materials for your products.

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Transportation 

If you’re using vehicles for operations and distribution, consider replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with more environmentally friendly options, such as hybrid or electric cars.If possible, adopting flexible or hybrid working arrangements for your employees will also contribute to a more sustainable planet due to less emissions from transportation.

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Waste 

Is your business producing waste? See if you can reduce the amount of waste produced, recycle what can be recycled, and see if there are parts that could be reused instead of thrown away. Can you arrange for logistics to manage waste better?

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Supply chain and partners 

Look to your supply chain to find opportunities to minimize your carbon footprint. Make sure your suppliers and partners share the same sustainable commitments as you. You can find ways to lower carbon emissions in your supply chain by sourcing local products or materials from the closest source possible.You can also partner with other sustainable businesses and organizations to help you reach your sustainability goals.

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How your business can partner with Plastiks 

Plastiks offers different opportunities for companies looking for ways to create a positive environmental impact.You could either set up a goal for your company to recover a specificamount of plastic, or you could pick a product line that you would like to be plastic negative by compensating for the recovery of twice as much plastic. Plastiks can help set up a fixed target or a goal for your business to recover plastic from a certain country or with a specific recovery project which connects the most with your purpose and customers. The impact of your actions will be visible on a live dashboard on the Plastiks Marketplace, where both you and your customers can follow the process.This allows you to share milestones and achievements directly with your customers, which contributes to strengthening your brand, while also having a positive impact on the environment.You’re welcome to book a meeting with one of our advisors to discuss and explore the different alternatives to connect your business to Plastiks.Let's talk