Why start-ups should be setting up with
sustainability at the heart
Start-up businesses are the heartbeat and future of our planet, and they therefore, must play a key role in creating sustainable businesses of the future. To elaborate more, UK TV personality and founder of sustainability platform ‘Buy Smarter Buy Greener’ Kate Hardcastle MBE discusses the way forward in sustainability and small businesses.
WHY IT MATTERS
According to Hardcastle, at a time when our planet had some time to recover due to less travel during COVID-19, the leaders of the world came together for COP26 and the big brands are making their pledges to do more and be better – with net zero, reducing waste, recycling and reusing, all high on the agenda. “It matters to our consumers more than ever too, COVID-19 has subtly, but significantly shifted consumer awareness of the relationship with the spaces in which we live, accelerating demand for living a more sustainable life,” she says. “Over the last 18 months, consumers have spent more time outdoors and in many cases had more time on their hands to appreciate our planet with 39 percent of shoppers saying they will have a more environmentally friendly mindset when out shopping as a result of COVID-19.”
WHERE TO BEGIN
When we talk about sustainability, it’s important to look at what is Jan/Feb 2022
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realistic to a business owner? “We know that it’s impossible to be one hundred percent green and sustainable all of the time, so it’s essential to look at what is realistic for you and your business – what quick switches, ideas, and changes could you implement to make a difference?” she asks. “Small steps make big changes. As a start-up business of 2021 and beyond, it is our duty to create a business which is mindful of our planet, reducing the impact, and in an ideal world, being self-sufficient.”
HERE ARE SOME AREAS TO CONSIDER WHEN STARTING YOUR BUSINESS:
Create a green culture from day one – setting out your green
agenda and objectives at the same time as creating your business plan is essential – sustainability should be at the heart of your business. Think about how you could help your staff, your community, and those around you to be green, too– could you set up a ‘green team’
