Making your business more sustainable – does it really matter?

The short answer? Yes.

We speak to members every day and we totally get it – most of you are more concerned with meeting rising costs than saving the planet right now.

But we’ve got 3 really good reasons why going even a little bit greener will be good for your business.

1) Your customers care

On average, 41% of consumers say they are ‘very’ or ‘quite likely’ to choose an outlet based on its sustainability – that jumps to 64% amongst younger buyers.

In fact, 37% of consumers would be happy to spend more if it meant supporting a more eco-conscious business.

That means that going green could actually mean a competitive advantage.

2) It could save you money

Some changes, like reducing your energy usage, can have a positive impact on the planet AND your bottom line.

Experts say that change begins with awareness so the first step to using less power is understanding when, where and how much energy you use. Lots of people use Smart Meters in their homes to spot their power-hungry appliances and high-usage times so why not do the same for your business?

Use a Business Smart Meter (often free from your supplier!) to learn the true costs in each area of the business before researching strategies to mitigate them like turning the thermostat down by 1 degree between busy periods or switching to LED lightbulbs. 

3) You needn’t spend a single penny to start making a difference

Whilst it’s true that some measures on the road to sustainability don’t come cheap.

Updating your kitchen equipment to newer, more energy efficient appliances might save you (and the planet) a bundle in the long run, but by George that’s a big up-front cost!

But there are a load of swaps or low/no-cost changes you can make which all contribute to reducing your business’ carbon footprint: 

So, you’ve no excuse!

Save some money, save the planet.