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If you are starting a small business in the green sphere, sustainability needs to be part of your very ethos. You cannot afford to be wasteful in setting up your business. Wastefulness will diminish what you are trying to achieve as well as tarnishing your brand.
Fortunately, over the past couple of decades, we have learned a lot about sustainability when it comes to small business. One of the few benefits of COVID-19 is that even big corporate businesses have found ways to work with more efficiency, whether or not their focus is on sustainability.
With this in mind, here is some guidance on how to set up a small business on principles of sustainability.
Keep it web-based
Unless you are selling physical products or services, there is likely little reason for you to have physical branches. Instead of renting out office space, or even using a shared space like WeWork, you can do everything from home. With a personalized virtual private network (VPN), you can give staff access to your database and any other data they need while they work from home as well.
The future of customer service is web-based, too, with advancements in AI technology making it possible for clients to get help without having to speak to a human being when not dealing with complex problems.
Keeping everything web based minimizes the natural resources you consume. Staff do not have to travel to an office, and you do not have to buy and use electronics, paper, and office furniture. You also save people the need to buy lunch, giving them the opportunity to use what they have in the fridge to avoid wastage.
Data efficiency
When you do set up your website, there are steps you can take to keep even this seemingly small aspect sustainable. You will need to find hosting and choose the best server for a small business. Instead of renting out a whole server for your business, consider choosing shared or VPS hosting.
A full server requires a lot more processing power than shared hosting, and you will better maintain your principles of sustainability with the latter.
Provide green benefits
One of the struggles you will face as a small business owner is getting staff on board with your green vision. You may idealistically go into the hiring process believing applicants care as much about the cause as you do. But the reality is that people are generally just looking for jobs. It is somewhat rare that jobseekers end up doing something they actually care about.
However, that does not mean it has to stay this way. Although your employees may not start with the same passion as you, you can help them find it. Perhaps the most effective way to do this is by providing green benefits. Partner with companies to give them discounts on green vacations, solar power, and so on. See what your own business can do for them.
Over time, they will buy into the principles or at least get on board with them in the context of your business.
Keeping your business sustainable is crucial as a green company. Fortunately, in 2020, it is becoming easier than ever.
