In the modern day, environmental concerns have become a topic at the forefront of global conversation surrounding businesses of all sizes. With an emphasis on environmentally-conscious business practices and a shift in consumer preferences towards sustainable purchasing, many businesses are striving to take steps to reduce their impact on the environment and promote sustainability within their daily operations.
In this feature, we will discuss steps that businesses can take to reduce their environmental impact and prioritize sustainability in their operations.
Why Sustainability Matters to Us
For over 22 years, The VAN LEUVEN Company has remained steadfast in our commitment to partner with and support clients that share in our philosophy of healing, nurturing, enriching, and sustaining the world. Although our company and the world around it has changed so much over the past 22 years, our commitment to these principles has not. We are proud to work with clients who share in our mission to leave the world better than we found it, and we look forward to striving each day to make a greater difference than the last.
Now, at The VAN LEUVEN Company, we reflect on the work that we have done in pursuit of this mission while we chart the course for our future. Our company was founded on simple principles that make us who we are: the dedication to heal, nurture, enrich, and sustain the world. Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword at VLC; it’s in everything that we do.
What Steps Can I Take to Make My Business More Sustainable?
For business owners, prioritizing sustainability may sound great in theory, but can feel overwhelming in practice. However, change does not always need to look like sweeping, lofty goals that are unrealistic for the size of your business. Many sustainable measures that businesses can take rely on small changes making a big impact over time. For businesses that are thinking about how to implement sustainable change, we have laid out 5 ways that companies of all sizes can work to make their business more environmentally friendly.
Energy Efficiency Improvements
Businesses of all sizes hold significant potential to promote sustainability through various measures, including by enhancing energy efficiency within their daily operations. By upgrading to energy-efficient lighting, appliances, and equipment, businesses can substantially reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. Installing programmable thermostats and sensors enables precise control over heating, cooling, and lighting systems, optimizing energy usage based on occupancy and environmental conditions.
Additionally, small businesses may consider making the switch to renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, further reducing their reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a cleaner, greener energy landscape. These steps not only lower your business’s operating costs but also showcase a commitment to a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Sustainable Supply Chain Practices
Just as consumer preferences are shifting to be more environmentally conscious in the products that they choose, business owners are becoming increasingly aware of the need for sustainable supply chain practices. By sourcing materials and products from local suppliers, businesses can reduce carbon emissions associated with transportation while supporting their own local economies.
Additionally, choosing eco-friendly materials and packaging options that are recyclable or biodegradable minimizes the environmental impact that a product can have in its lifecycle. Forging partnerships with suppliers who prioritize sustainable and ethical production practices ensures that your business operations align with broader sustainability goals.
By making changes where possible, small differences can have a lasting impact on your business’s carbon footprint and resonate positively with customers who are environmentally conscious and take care in knowing where their products come from.
Water Conservation Measures
Shorter showers, turning faucets off while brushing teeth, and fixing leaky faucets may be familiar recommendations when it comes to water conservation measures for individuals. Businesses of all sizes can implement similar measures when thinking about how to become more sustainable within their operations.
Installing water-saving fixtures like low-flow faucets and toilets can help businesses to minimize water consumption and the strain on their local water resources within their day-to-day operations. Additionally, installing leak detection systems allows businesses to identify and address these issues quickly, preventing any unnecessary loss.
If feasible, businesses can consider recycling and reusing water through methods such as the collection of rainwater for landscaping or the utilization of graywater for non-potable purposes like irrigation and industrial processes.
Identifying key areas where water can be conserved in your business’s daily operations will allow businesses of all sizes to understand the steps that can be taken to utilize this resource in a more sustainable way.
Waste Reduction Initiatives
Businesses don’t have to go it alone when it comes to prioritizing sustainability. Often, communities are eager to join in on environmentally friendly efforts. Waste reduction initiatives can be however big or small the business owner would like for them to be, from an employee-based initiative to a full-scale community recycling program. However your business desires to participate in waste reduction programs, make sure that your desired audience is aware by employing strategic marketing efforts.
Case Study: VLC x Purina® Tub Recycling Program
At The VAN LEUVEN Company, not only are we committed to supporting clients that share in our values of healing, nurturing, enriching, and sustaining the world, we also support programs that are aligned with this philosophy. VLC has been at the forefront of the Purina® Tub Recycling program, supporting independent retailers in hosting their tub recycling events and making the world a better place, one tub at a time.
Increasing awareness in our clients’ communities of their tub recycling events not only increases foot traffic within their store, but keeps old mineral tubs out of landfills and gives them new life. We are grateful to provide event support for our clients, allowing their communities to come together and do good for the environment while being rewarded.
Sustainable Marketing Strategies
Companies big and small can market their business effectively while prioritizing sustainability. When it comes to sustainable marketing practices, traditional methods of marketing, such as direct mailers and other paper materials, can be used sparingly or on an as-needed basis. The world of digital marketing creates endless opportunities for business owners to advertise their products and services while minimizing their environmental impact.
Sustainable Marketing with The VAN LEUVEN Company
As a full-scale marketing and PR firm, we at The VAN LEUVEN Company know that digital marketing services are paramount to sustainable marketing practices. Since our founding over 22 years ago, we have remained committed to supporting clients that share in our mission to heal, nurture, enrich, and sustain the world, while committing ourselves to practices that do the very same.
Ready to prioritize sustainability in your business? Contact The VAN LEUVEN Company to learn more about how you can market your company effectively and sustainably today.