IBA, as the premier business brokerage firm in the Pacific Northwest, is firmly established as a respected professional service firm in the legal, accounting, banking, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, and financial planning communities.  Periodically, we will post guest blogs from professionals with knowledge to share for the good of owners of privately held companies & family owned businesses. The following blog article has been provided by Dalip Jaggi, co-founder of Revive (https://www.revive.realestate/):

Effective Tips for Helping Your Startup Be More Sustainable

Launching a successful startup today requires more than just great products and services. It can take a lot of hard work to grow a business from the ground up. You’ll need adequate funding, a great team working for you, and well-organized business processes.

However, another important element that all businesses need to be aware of is the ethical responsibility they have to reduce their carbon footprint wherever possible. This not only helps to lower their environmental impact, but can also help improve their brand perception among current or potential customers.

While this might seem to be an intimidating undertaking, there are actually several practical tips you can follow to help your startup prioritize sustainability as it develops.

Focus on Self-Awareness

Becoming a more sustainable business all starts with self-awareness. Not all companies will have the same impact on the environment, and the initiatives your business should prioritize will depend entirely on your organization’s structure.

Take the time to look closely at how your business operates—from the way it sources its products to the type of equipment or machinery it uses on a daily basis. It can be easy sometimes to want to follow a generic sustainability plan, but the more personalized your sustainability initiatives are, the larger the positive impact they will likely have.

Explore Sustainable Energy Solutions

One of the most significant environmental impacts that most businesses have is their energy consumption. As you grow your startup, consider all the areas where your business consumes electricity and explore more sustainable energy solutions.

While it may not be reasonable for your business to be completely carbon neutral, you should focus on improving areas that can have the most positive impact. This may involve installing solar panels to help power smaller parts of your business, investing in more energy-efficient equipment, or implementing certain best practices in the workplace that reduce reliance on electricity when it is not necessary.

Redesign Your Packaging

If your business markets packageable products or is reliant on distribution, choosing smarter packaging is a great way to practice better sustainability. The use of excessive cardboard and Styrofoam can be incredibly taxing on the environment, as many of these packaging materials are not designed to break down properly.

Have a look at the type of materials you use in your shipping and receiving processes and see if there are ways to introduce more eco-friendly options. Depending on how many packages you send out per year, smaller sustainability improvements in your packaging design can add up to significant benefits to the community and the planet as a whole. 

Update Fleet Vehicles

Another relevant place to look when focusing on your business’s sustainability initiatives is its vehicle fleet. While gas-powered vehicles are still the common choice for most businesses, over time, their emissions can contribute significantly to harmful air pollution. Luckily, there are many more sustainable vehicle solutions now available.

Electric and hybrid vehicles have become much more common today. Before investing in new vehicles for your business, consider choosing these more eco-friendly options instead. While their initial cost may be slightly higher, you’ll make up those extra costs in fuel and maintenance savings over the years.

Educate Your Employees

Whether they realize it or not, your employees can have a significant impact on your sustainability initiatives. Often, there are simple best practices that individuals can follow every day to help reduce the entire business’s carbon footprint. But in order for them to follow these practices, they first need to be educated.

Make it a point to clearly outline sustainability goals to all employees when they are hired. Then, regularly dedicate time during meetings or annual conferences to explain any new initiatives the company is introducing and how they can help support them. 

Choose Organic Cleaning Solutions

The great thing about making your business more sustainable is that it doesn’t always require significant investments on your part. Simply making a few changes to the brands you purchase can make all the difference.

For example, one area where you can improve sustainability is to choose organic cleaning suppliers for your kitchens or bathrooms. Most organic supplies are relatively cost-effective and don’t contain the same harmful chemicals you find in most major brand names.

Not only are organic cleaning supplies better for the environment, but they’re also a smarter choice for your employees who may have certain sensitivities to chemical additives that affect their skin or breathing conditions. 

Only Work With Responsible Suppliers

While focusing on your own sustainability efforts is important, it’s also essential that your outside partners and suppliers do the same. When you choose the companies that will supply your business with office supplies, shipment solutions, or other services, you should do some research to make sure that you’re only partnering with companies that have the same sustainability values as your own. 

When you make sure you’re only partnering with responsible suppliers, it helps set a standard for your business that is typically well-received by others. This can help to add credibility to your business and build more trust with your employees and customers. 

Renovate Various Office Spaces

If your business is located in an older building, you have the opportunity to make certain property renovations that can support various sustainability initiatives.

For example, when looking for areas of your business to improve, renovating kitchens or bathrooms can provide an opportunity to install more energy- or water-efficient features. This not only helps reduce operating expenses but also helps minimize wasted resources throughout the year. 

Make Your Business More Sustainable as It Grows

Putting sustainability at the center of your startup’s game plan is crucial. It’s an approach that not only helps improve the credibility of your brand but can also have a profoundly positive impact on those around you. 

By following the practical tips discussed, you will help your startup meet its ethical obligations while creating an environment that your employees and customers can be proud of. 

If you have questions relating to the content of this article, Dalip Jaggi would welcome the opportunity to answer them.  Mr. Jaggican be reached at (949) 573-4399 and dalip@dalipjaggi.com.

IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s premier business brokerage firm since 1975, is available as an information resource to the media, business brokerage, mergers & acquisitions, real estate, accounting, legal, and financial planning communities on subjects relevant to the purchase & sale of privately held companies and family-owned businesses.  IBA is recognized as one of the best business brokerage firms in the nation based on its long track record of successfully negotiating “win-win” business sale transactions in environments of full disclosure employing “best practices”.