Why New Businesses Should Focus On Sustainability From The Start

All new businesses need to be aware of sustainability. Whether it’s the crux of their offering or something they’re reactive to, it’s an issue that can’t be ignored.
The problem is that it’s harder to show that you care about sustainability if you bolt it onto your company when it becomes a PR essential.

And because most new businesses fail you don’t want yours to look disingenuous. Why? Because then it increases your chances of failure.

That’s why you need to make it a part of your company from the start.

I’ve given two clear reasons to support this point and used them to explain how to make sustainability a key part of your new business.

Telematics makes it simpler to build into your business model

Every business needs a model for operation.

From the goods and services you specialise in to the way these are distributed, there must be a plan for delivering the vision you have for your company.

Sustainability can be a part of this and it’s simpler to do so if you focus on it from the start.

Business models evolve as time goes on and the needs of your company, stakeholders, and customers change. But some things remain central to your vision and it’s difficult to change the core model of operation once you’re up and running.

The particular aspects of your company that can be informed by sustainability depends on what you do and how you want things done. However, there are lots of things you can do, from running a paperless company to efficient transport, and it’s simple to put in place.

Going paperless can be achieved by running a digital office.

This means using credit cards instead of cash to pay for items because they don’t produce a paper receipt. It also means using software for company documents — even going as far as replacing notebooks with tablets because every little helps.

You can find out more about how to run a digital office by visiting Business.com. This article by Business.com gives you tips on how to create a paperless office, including how to make the switch to laptops and tablets.

You can make your transport more efficient by using Telematics.

It’s tracking software that creates an electronic record of your vehicle activity and driver performance. This tells you if your drivers are using more fuel than they need to. This not only tells you where you can make savings, but it also gives you the information you need to educate them to drive more efficiency — even if it’s as little as changing your delivery times by an hour, so that they don’t get stuck in traffic and burn more fuel than is necessary.

You can learn more about Telematics by visiting iCompario. This particular guide by iCompario explains the tracking software in more detail, including how it can be used to make your drivers more efficient.

So, think about the core elements of your business model that can be sustainable and then start your company with this information in mind.

Customers want businesses to be sustainable

Business success depends on securing customers.

This means you need to find what they want and then deliver this. Increasingly, one of the things customers want is to see that companies are committed to sustainability.

We’re in an age where there are so many options for every product and service.

This means that businesses are no longer truly unique based on these things and the result is that customers can afford to be pickier and demand more from companies.

Don’t believe me? Trust your customers. 88% of them want you to help them be more eco-friendly and if your company can’t demonstrate that it is then they’ll look elsewhere.

Making sustainability a focus from the start shows that your business has a genuine commitment to making the world a better place. It allows you to win customers on this basis and keep them because they trust you.

You can show your customers your commitment to sustainability by advertising what you’re doing to do so. Contributing part of every sale to a good cause is the perfect way of making this a reality.

So, think about how you could ape the one for one model, or find your own way of giving your customers what they want by helping them to be more sustainable.

The simplicity of implementation and customer demand are two key reasons that every new business should focus on sustainability from the start.

Because it really is more difficult to change your business model when it’s up and running. And your company really is more likely to fail if you don’t give your customers what they want.

So, before you start your new business, think about how to make sustainability a crucial part of it.