SUSTAINABILITY - STEP-BY-STEP SECRETS TO STARTING AN E-COMMERCE STORE

20. Sustainability
This is your investment in the future.
Sustainability is now being considered as an indicator of good management of a company. Many of your customers will share these beliefs and feel your company aligns with their values.
Sustainability has a large societal impact. It relates to how your business affects the local and further afield community. It impacts your financial sustainability.
Try to follow compliance standards often set up by environmental organisations.
Sustainability has a positive brand association and good publicity and will attract customers who have similar ethos.
 
Aim to consider the following:

• Decrease your impact on the environment
• Reduce your energy and water use
• Reduce costs associated with meetings i.e. holding a virtual rather than person to person meeting.
• Reduce travel and transport costs.
• Think of publishing educational content.
• Reuse stationary and go paperless.
• Reduce shipping costs which contribute to carbon emissions.
• Recycle when possible.
• Contribute some of your profits to a charity working in a sustainable area.
• Turn off lights and appliances when not in use at the end of the day.
• Promote sustainability through your website.
• Manufacture locally.
• Source sustainable raw materials for your products.
• Check your suppliers comply with laws and regulations relating to pollution and waste.
• Reduce inefficiencies.
• Invest in technology which can provide an eco-advantage.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.